Apple Pay will soon be available for public transportation use in South Korea, marking a major expansion of the service two years after its local launch.

T-money announced on Monday via its website and Instagram account that the T-money transit card system will soon be compatible with Apple devices, saying that “T-money is coming to iPhone and Apple Watch.”

A company official confirmed the integration with Apple Pay, with specific details to be announced later.

Apple Pay debuted in Korea in March 2023, but its adoption has been largely limited to convenience stores and major franchise retailers. The lack of transportation card functionality, a key feature in mobile payment ecosystems, has been a notable barrier to wider usage.

Industry experts attribute the delay in integrating transit features to the need for Korea’s transportation card operators to upgrade terminals to the EMV contactless standard used by Apple Pay, as well as negotiations over transaction fees.

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