The Cupertino, Calif.-based software maker has been granted the license it needed from the Korea Communications Commission. Regulators in the nation that relies heavily on domestic manufacturers, including LG Electronics and Samsung Electronics, for their mobile-phone needs said companies offering location-based services such as maps and directions need permission before offering devices to consumers.

In September, the commission granted Apple that permission, and on Wednesday the commission said it would grant Apple's South Korean unit a license to allow the collection of information on locations and offer features such as maps and directions.

Expanding Market Share

Being cleared to sell the popular smartphone may help Apple sell more iPhones in a market where 96 percent of people have at least one mobile phone and there are 47 million mobile-phone users, according to eMarketer. Still, some analysts say it's not a huge deal for Apple.

"My sense is that Apple will see only a small increase in shipments since it is a small market," said Ramon Llamas, an IDC analyst. "Your remaining categories (including consumers, carriers and competitors) will definitely take notice, and expect domestic vendors LG and Samsung to come out swinging with their own devices."

On a recent trip to Seoul, Gartner analyst Carolina Milanesi found people excited about the iPhone.

"I am sure that for Apple this will certainly help drive sales," she said. "Although the Korean market sees higher-than-average (prices) for devices, I think it will still be interesting to see what the premium on the iPhone will be, as that will make a difference."

"Culturally, South Korea is very brand- and fashion-conscious, so this should play at Apple's advantage," Milanesi added.

South Korea mobile-phone carrier KT Corp., formerly Korea Telecom, said it's in negotiations with Apple to offer the device in the near future but has not disclosed a date. SK Telecom, another large wireless carrier in South Korea, also said it's in talks with Apple.

Popularity Grows

As the popularity of the iPhone grows, Apple is getting the device approved for sale in other countries with huge mobile-phone markets. Clearance in South Korea comes just one month after Apple was given permission to sell the device in China through China Unicom.

With 5,000 subscribers signed up, China Unicom is confident that the launch of the iPhone 3GS, which will retail for $1,025, will boost its mobile sales this quarter. While 5,000 may be a lot for China Unicom, it pales in comparison to AT&T's launch in the U.S., which resulted in 146,000 iPhones sold.

"It is too early to say how it will do, but it's clear the iPhone is a global product at this point and entering into key markets is needed to build long-term market share," said Michael Gartenberg, an Interpret analyst. "The idea that Apple and iPhone are U.S.-centric is simply not accurate anymore."