South Korea said it will hold off enforcing a new law that bans the use of imported smartphones that operate on frequencies that have not been approved by the government.

Since the regulator imposed a limit on handset subsidies, demand has soared from small agencies that receive orders from blogs and internet cafes and then buy noncompliant smartphones in bulk from foreign websites, JoongAng Daily reported. These imports are forecast to double this year to $1.8 billion.

The government said the imported smartphones were not compatible with domestic signals and would disrupt mobile networks.

In June the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning revised the country’s radio wave law to require small importers to obtain a radio wave certificate for each smartphone model. The testing fee for certification can be as high as KRW33 million ($29,600) per model. Previously, only large importers had to have certification.

The ministry said it won’t crack down on the importers until the new law is modified so it won’t be a burden on local buyers.

A National Assembly lawmaker said the imports should be encouraged since they help to stabilise smartphone prices in South Korea, JoongAng Daily said.