Google now has over 10 million subscribers running its Android operating system on their smartphones, a mere 18 months after the service was introduced to Korea.

As of June 20, SK Telecom had 6.18 million subscribers, while KT had 2.06 million and LG Uplus had registered more than 1.86 million, according to data provided by the domestic mobile carriers.

The figures account for some 70 percent of the country's overall smartphone market, which comprises a total of 14.1 million subscribers.

The sharp growth of smartphones running the Android system has been especially pronounced in Korea, due in large part to the partnerships that Google has forged with conglomerates like LG and Samsung.

On a global level, smartphones powered by Android OS claimed the top spot in sales for the first quarter of this year to seize a 36-percent share of the market.