It has a fee (for developers) but it will become free (for consumers).
The Kotatsu translation didn't even match the Japanese words... they added things that didn't happened.
Read this again:
Game Impress Watch: What about Sony Interactive Entertainment?
Ito: I think it will vary for each one of our titles
Game Impress Watch: What you’re saying is that there will be titles that have a fee [for the patch] and [patches for the] titles that are free.
Ito: That is correct.
Firstly the interviewer asks whether Sony will charge for the patches, and then the interview is trying to clarify whether there will be titles that have a fee for the patch i.e paid, and titles that have free patches.
There is NOTHING there that talks about developers having to pay and consumers receiving free patches. They're also not talking about whether Sony will pay themselves to release a patch.
It's almost as if people are reading the words but just making stuff up.
Finally look at this:
Game Impress Watch: For the 4K HDR patch for existing titles, will it cost money? Or will it be free?
Ito: It will be different for each title. I believe it will depend on the thinking of each licensee.
You know what a licensee refers to right?
If they were talking about costs incurred to developers, it wouldn't vary, and certainly wouldn't be down to the discretion of the licensee. It's Sony Entertainment (the licensor) that mandate the fees. The licensee doesn't decide how much and whether they pay.