Apple says it will open a second store in South Korea, expanding its presence in the country dominated by local tech giant Samsung Electronics.

Apple said on its homepage that the new store will be located in Yeouido, western Seoul, but it did not divulge a fixed date.

Despite the US tech giant’s popularity in the local market, it currently operates just one official store in South Korea, in southern Seoul.

Apple’s new iPhone 12 series has sold around 600,000 units since its launch late last month, matching the sales record of the country’s bestselling smartphone lineup this year — Samsung Electronics’ Galaxy S20 series.

Apple’s move is expected to bolster its presence in the local market, which Samsung holds a tight grip over.

According to market researcher Strategy Analytics, Samsung Electronics held a 72.3-per-cent market share of the local smartphone market as of the third quarter this year, with Apple at 8.9 per cent.

• Original reporting by Yonhap, via Korea Bizwire.