Just days after Israel announced that they will now allow the import and entry of Apple iPads into the country, the iPad has gained access to another market on the other side of the Eurasian landmass. South Korea has just announced that they too will be allowing the iPad into their market. The Korea Communications Commission earlier this month banned the Apple tablet. Thankfully, that decision has been reversed.
Israel was concerned that the iPad’s higher-power WiFi radio would interfere with wireless networks in the country, and ordered customs officials to confiscate any iPads that attempted to cross the border. They reversed their decision a few days ago. South Korea similarly banned imports of the iPad for personal use because its wireless radios were not certified to work in the country and regulators were concerned that some people would import the iPad en masse and resell them for a profit – the iPad isn’t yet on Apple’s list of international countries slated to get the iPad next month, which could create a booming gray market.
On Monday, iPad hopefuls in the country threw up their arms in frustration with South Korea’s minister of culture, tourism and sports took an iPad to a press conference and used the device as an example for eBooks. The minister was apparently clueless about the ban on the tablet. On Tuesday, South Korea announced that the iPad would soon be certified for use in the country and that citizens and businesses would be allowed to import iPads.
There are restrictions, though. South Korean Customs officials are being told to stop all shipments that contain more than 5 iPads. That restriction are aimed at putting a cap on the proliferation of gray market iPads.
The iPad is expected to ship internationally in late May. The ship date target was pushed back by Apple after greater-than-expected demand in the US market put pressure on Apple’s iPad supplies. Apple has not yet announced any plans to bring the iPad to South Korea.
[Via: WSJ]