The decline in paid broadcasting subscribers in Korea appears to be continuing. The operator with the highest number of subscribers is KT, which recorded 8,987,351 subscribers, accounting for 24.71% of the total.
The Ministry of Science and ICT announced the number of paid broadcasting subscribers and market share for the second half of 2024 on the 30th.
According to the government, the number of paid broadcasting subscribers according to the market share calculation criteria for the second half of 2024 is expected to be 36,364,646, a decrease of 19,964 compared to the first half of the same year. This marked the first consecutive decline in the number of paid broadcasting subscribers since the number decreased for the first time in the first half of 2024, and the magnitude of the decline expanded compared to the previous half.
The number of Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) subscribers has steadily increased over the last three years. However, subscribers to cable television (SO) and satellite broadcasting have continued to decline.
As of the second half of 2024, the number of subscribers is reported as follows: Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) 21,312,51 (58.6%), cable television (SO) 12,273,100 (33.75%), and satellite broadcasting 2,781,295 (7.65%).
The operator with the highest number of subscribers is KT with 8,987,351 (24.71%). Second place is SK Broadband (IPTV) with 6,781,381 (18.65%), third is LG Uplus with 5,541,519 subscribers (15.24%), fourth is LG HelloVision with 3,510,840 (9.65%), and fifth is SK Broadband (SO) with 2,814,584 subscribers (7.74%).
The total number of subscribers for the technology-neutral service, which SK Broadband (SO) began in May 2023, reached 258,045 as of December 2024. This marks an increase of 101,892 compared to June 2024, showing a trend of growth.