Seoul: Delivery platforms and their partner restaurants have agreed to lower commission fees to a range of 2 to 7.8 percent from the current 9.8 percent starting next year, officials announced Thursday. This decision was reached during the 12th round of discussions overseen by a government consultative body, with representatives from major platforms such as Baedal Minjok (Baemin), Coupang Eats, and Yogiyo, as well as small business owners participating. According to Yonhap News Agency, the agreement introduces a tiered commission system that categorizes merchants based on their revenue generated within the app. This system will allow lower-revenue merchants to benefit from reduced commission rates. Specifically, merchants in the top 35 percent revenue bracket will be charged a 7.8 percent commission fee. Those with revenue between 35 and 80 percent will incur a 6.8 percent fee, while the bottom 20 percent will enjoy a considerably reduced rate of 2 percent. This plan, concluded after extensive negotiations t hat began in July, will be in effect for three years starting next year. Currently, Baemin and Coupang Eats both apply a 9.8 percent commission on food prices, whereas Yogiyo charges 9.7 percent. Despite the new agreement, merchants have persistently advocated for a flat 5 percent commission cap. Thursday's impromptu meeting was convened following the consultative body's urging for platform operators to revise their proposals and enhance their existing offers. Baemin, operated by Woowa Brothers Corp., commands approximately 60 percent of South Korea's food delivery app market. The remainder is shared between GS Retail Co.'s Yogiyo and Coupang Eats, the food delivery division of e-commerce giant Coupang. South Korea stands as one of the largest food delivery markets globally, valued at over 20 trillion won (US$14.4 billion), fueled by widespread smartphone use and a densely populated urban landscape.