Apple’s new smartphone, the iPhone 17e, has officially launched in South Korea, with the country’s three major telecom operators—SK telecom, LG Uplus, and KT—beginning sales and offering promotional benefits for customers.
SK telecom announced that the iPhone 17e became available on March 11 through its nationwide retail stores and its online mall, T Direct Shop. The device is offered in two storage options—256GB and 512GB—and comes in three colors: black, white, and a newly introduced soft pink.
The 256GB model is priced at 990,000 won, the same price as the previous iPhone 16e 128GB model, while offering double the storage capacity.
The new smartphone is powered by Apple’s A19 chip, the same processor used in the iPhone 17 series, delivering improved performance. It also features Ceramic Shield 2 protection on the front display, which significantly enhances scratch resistance compared with the previous model.
Battery performance has also been improved, supporting up to 26 hours of video playback. The device supports MagSafe wireless charging with speeds of up to 15 watts, allowing the battery to charge to about 50 percent in roughly 30 minutes.
SK telecom is offering various promotions for customers purchasing the device. Subscribers to the online-only “Direct 5G 76” plan through T Direct Shop can receive free access to one OTT service—Netflix, Disney+, YouTube Premium, or TVING.
LG Uplus has also begun activating iPhone 17e devices after conducting a week-long pre-order campaign starting on March 4. To celebrate the launch, the company is hosting a livestream through its U+one app’s “Uplus LIVE” channel, introducing the device’s new soft pink color and MagSafe wireless charging features. Viewers of the livestream will receive a 50,000-won discount coupon that can be used at the company’s official online accessory store.
The carrier previously offered pre-order customers device discount coupons of up to 100,000 won and provided a same-day “morning delivery” service on the launch date to help customers receive their devices more quickly. LG Uplus is also offering additional benefits through its Apple Device Pack program, including installment discounts on Apple accessories such as AirPods.
KT also launched the iPhone 17e on March 11 alongside a new iPad Air. The iPhone 17e features a 6.1-inch Super Retina XDR display and a 48-megapixel Fusion camera capable of capturing high-quality photos and recording 4K Dolby Vision video. The device also includes Apple’s latest C1X modem, enabling faster wireless connectivity.
The newly introduced iPad Air is powered by Apple’s M4 chip, offering improved CPU and GPU performance for demanding tasks such as video editing and gaming. It also supports Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 connectivity and is available in 11-inch and 13-inch models in four colors.
KT is providing various promotional benefits for customers, including mobile plan discounts, credit card installment offers, and additional device benefits such as accessory discounts and bundled device options.
The launch of the iPhone 17e is expected to intensify competition in South Korea’s premium smartphone market as telecom carriers expand promotions to attract new customers.
