KT Corp., a South Korean telecom giant, and its affiliate had the most number of pay TV subscribers in the country in the first half of this year, maintaining the top status in terms of market share, ministry data showed Wednesday.

The mobile carrier and its satellite TV unit KT Skylife Co. had a combined 31.4 percent share of the market, or 10.7 million subscribers, in the January-June period, followed by LG Uplus Corp. and its pay TV unit LG HelloVision Corp. at a total 25.1 percent, according to the Ministry of Science and ICT.

SK Telecom Co.'s internet protocol TV (IPTV) subsidiary SK Broadband Co. held a 24.5 percent market share.

The science ministry said the country's total pay TV subscribers stood at 34 million in the first half of this year, up around 350,000 from the second half of last year.

SK Broadband's market share rose 9 percentage points over the same period following its merger with cable TV operator t-broad Co. earlier this year.

LG Uplus and LG HelloVision's total rose 0.2 percentage point, while KT's combined market share edged down 0.1 percentage point.

The country's three major telecom operators have been in fierce competition for a larger share of the pay TV market through mergers and acquisitions.

Last year, LG Uplus took over the country's largest cable TV firm, CJ Hello Co., now named LG HelloVision.

KT's No. 1 position is set to further increase as KT Skylife signed a deal last month to acquire cable TV operator Hyundai HCN Co.'s broadcasting business for 491 billion won ($443.8 million) by July next year.

Hyundai HCN had 1.3 million subscribers and a 3.84 percent share of the local pay TV market in the first half of this year, ministry data showed.

The ministry compiles data on pay subscribers to system operators (SO), satellite broadcasting services and IPTV service providers every six months.(Yonhap)