After much delay, posturing and negotating, the iPhone is finally arriving in South Korea.

The Korea Communications Commission had previously been requiring handsets to use the locally-built WIPI mobile platform. Earlier this week, that changed for some reason probably being money, the usual impetus to get pointless local codes to change out of the blue). Quote from the company policy chief:

“…considering global industry trends toward the use of general-purpose mobile operating systems, we concluded that there was a need to allow carriers the freedom to decide whether to use WIPI or not,’

This restriction prevented many foreign manufacturers, like Apple, from selling handsets in South Korea previously. So, what happens now? First off, it looks like carriers KTF and SK Telecom will be handling the iPhone in South Korea. And would-be customers will still have to wait until next spring, as the rule requiring WIPI will be effective until April of 2009. A good thing for the power of choice and for South Koreans at large.