Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Vimfuego]

Every other country (that sells Apple products) have the new iMacs and offer 24 hour delivery. Try to order through Apple Korea and you're told "the product is awaiting approval from EMC, possible delivery 2-3 weeks".

What's the problem???? Another case of Korean protectionism?

[pkang0202]

Quite a few factors could be involved. The fact that electronics need extensive "testing" before being approved is a definite headache.

Add that time on top of just being low on the list for new products.

With only 50 million people, Korea isn't exactly a priority market for big multinationals.

[Captain Corea]

There does sem to be a sort of hate/hate thing going on.

Buy a new iMac?

Me too. But planned for that 1 month delay.

[Swampfox10mm]

Because both sides are controlling and want to be the one in the drivers seat. Those in power and making the money in Korea grudgingly allow Apple in because Koreans want it obsessively, just like many others around the world, and are vocal about it NOT being allowed in. Koreans began making a stink about just why Apple wasn't allowed in here, and it was becoming an embarrassing issue internationally.

Apple wants to control everything that happens with their products. That doesn't sit well with Koreans in control who want to control.

There's also the truth that the I-phone cut the Korean phone market's head off and handed it to them on a platter in their own back yard, despite Korea not even allowing it into the country for 1 1/2 years so their phone manufacturers could catch up. Huge amounts of face have been lost, despite the chaebol-owned media trying to make it sound otherwise.

The old I get, the more I see this country as all about a very few micromanaging everything that comes and and out, along with the profits and where they go.

[Carbon]

[Captain Corea]

[Chokse]

I've been buying Apple computers in Korea since long before the days of the iPhone, iPad, and even the iPod. I was buying them back when they ran OS8, had pre-GX Motorola processors, and were only sold through Apple's Korean partner, Elex Computer. Back then, there was no online store and you could not do custom builds. I remember I had to wait 3 months to get the original Bondi Blue iMac here in Korea.

Anyway, to make my point, the same was true back then, in the mid 1990s. Once Apple announced a new computer, it often took 2 months or more until it was available here in Korea. Often the holdup was getting the K-Gov's approval to be sold here. Any electronic device must get certified by the K-Gov before it can be sold here. This testing can delay a product for a few weeks before it can enter the market.

Also, as someone else mentioned, Korea is pretty low on Apple's priority list. Countries like Japan and China will get stuff before Korea will, simply because Koreans don't often buy Apple computers (as a percent of the population).

This has nothing to do with the iPhone or Korean's losing face. That would be absurd, and the fact that these delays have been happening since at least the 1990s pretty much blows that theory out of the water.

The delay is simply because Korea has a small population, a fairly unimportant market, and because the K-Gov requires too much red tape for products (all electronic products) to enter the local market.

As others have suggested, just be patient and it will come soon enough.

[Swampfox10mm]

Yeah, Chokse... the 1 1/2 year delay in the I-phone coming here had absolutely nothing to do with Korea protecting its markets. Of course, lesser countries South of China had it long before. Kind of blows your theory out of the water, doesn't it?

I almost choked on my cereal with laughter at your post.

[Captain Corea]

[Chokse]

The OP was asking why his iMac was taking so long to ship. NOT HIS IPHONE!!!!

The fact that the iPhone took so long to get to Korea is because for years, Korea demanded that all phones capable of accessing the Internet use a local standard called WIPI. A few foreign phone manufactures decided to play along, but most did not. Apple did not. Finally, Korea dropped the standard and foreign phones began to flood in.

None of this has anything to do with what the OP asked. The iPhone (and other smart phones) being kept out of Korea due to the WIPI standard has ABSOLUTELY nothing to do with his iMac's delivery being delayed.

This is not an issue of Korea trying to make up for lost face by now delaying the entry of Apple's products. This is exactly what you implied in your earlier post.

Why are you telling the OP about the iPhone when he is asking why his iMac is taking so long to ship? Do you have trouble reading, are you just trying to screw with him, or are you just not that bright?

[Chokse]

A one month delay is nothing. That month is nothing more than Apple sending product to more important countries first. I'm not arguing that Korea is not considered unimportant, because it is. I know that. It is a tiny market with nationalistic customers.

I remember when BlueTooth devices started coming out in the US. I had a PowerBook with BlueTooth and wanted a BT mouse. It took almost 9 months before the K-Gov approved BT devices and they became available in Korea.

But, once Apple decides to start sending products to Korea, those products must undergo testing for things like WiFi, BlueTooth, power use, etc., to be sure they meet Korean standards. And yes, I know it is ridiculous since things like WiFi and BlueTooth are international standards. But, Koreans are Koreans and they like to act like the big man when they hold the cards. It's just part of their nature.

This testing and approval process can be very slow, especially when there is a new technology that the K-Gov is unfamiliar with. I would guess that this time will be slower due to Thunderbolt. It is going to take the government longer to set up testing for it, since they are not familiar with it yet.

Who knows the motive behind the testing. It could just be a way of putting an extra tax on the products, it could be done to slow down entry of products, or, as is often the case in Korea, it is done because some 120 lb. ajoshi suddenly has a bit of power and wants to use it to the fullest.

Anyway, the OP's computer is being delayed for two reasons. Apple is slow to send new things to Korea and the K-Gov is slow to approve new products to Korea. If you want the computer fast, talk to a friend in the military and get it sent from the US. That's what I did and I am currently typing this on a new 27" Core i7 iMac (Thunderbolt edition). It took only 5 days to get here via the USPS, there were no taxes, and shipping was free!

Otherwise, you just have to be patient and wait until all the games are over and the computer hits the local market.