Seoul, Nov 30 (IANS): Apple on Monday said it will open a new store in South Korea, expanding its presence in the country dominated by local tech giant Samsung Electronics.

Apple said on its homepage that it will soon open a new store in Yeouido, western Seoul, its second official store in the country.?

Despite the US tech giant's popularity in the local market, it currently operates one official store in South Korea in southern Seoul, reports Yonhap news agency.

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

The US tech giant'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 in the third quarter this year, with Apple at 8.9 per cent.