An overseas smartphone company claimed that the iPhone verified its authentication in Korea on the 19th of September – which is only a week after its release in San Francisco, United States. This was done in a relatively short period of time compared to iPhone 4S, which took 23 days (iPhone4 took 56) for verification. According to Kookmin Ilbo, there is a delay in the release of the new iPhone 5 in Korea, despite the fact that Apple applied for verification early on.

There are various speculations as to the reasons for the delay. While some claim that it is due to the tension and litigation history between Apple and Samsung Electronics; others claim that it is because there is a shortage in supplies; others speculate that it is due to the delay in optimization of 850㎒ LTE (Long Term Evolution). SK Telecom and KT officials announced that they “do not know the reason why Apple has yet to announce the date of iPhone5’s release in Korea”.