Samsung S5 launch coincides with Korean carriers' phone sales suspension

Samsung Electronics Co's Galaxy S5 smartphone could get off to a slow start in South Korea as the flagship's launch next month will coincide with a 45-day ban on local carriers selling phones, analysts said. Samsung plans to start global sales of the S5 on April 11, with South Korea usually among the first countries to get a taste of the world's biggest smartphone maker's marquee products. But the communications regulator on Friday banned SK Telecom Co Ltd, KT Corp and LG UPlus Corp from signing up customers or replacing phones for dates ranging from March 13 to May 19. "The Korean market accounts for a relatively small portion of Samsung's overall smartphone sales, but given that they need to maximize sales in the first three months of the launch, the operation suspension of mobile carriers could hit initial S5 sales," said IM Investment & Securities analyst Lee Min-hee.

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