▲ Unionized members of Kakao Corp. hold a rally in Seongnam, south of Seoul, on May 20, 2026. (Yonhap)

(LEAD) Kakao-labor dispute

(LEAD) Workers at Kakao, 4 affiliates vote in favor of strike: union

(ATTN: UPDATES throughout; RECASTS headline)

SEOUL, May 20 (Yonhap) -- A labor union of Kakao Corp., the operator of South Korea's popular messenger service, said Wednesday that unionized members at five units voted in favor of a strike after wage negotiations with management fell through.

Unionized workers at Kakao headquarters and four affiliates -- Kakao Pay, Kakao Enterprise, DK Techin and XL Games -- approved the plan to go on strike, the union said.

"As we have secured the legal right to strike, we will share the plan with union members," a union official said.

The union previously filed for mediation with the Gyeonggi Regional Labor Relations Commission after failing to reach an agreement with management in wage negotiations.

The union is reportedly seeking performance-based incentives equivalent to around 13 to 14 percent of the IT giant's operating profit.

Mediation proceedings involving Kakao were postponed until May 27, while talks involving the four affiliates ended without agreement.

The latest development comes amid broader calls for performance-based pay and profit-sharing at major South Korean companies.

Samsung Electronics's largest labor union said it plans to stage an 18-day strike beginning Thursday after government-mediated negotiations over performance-based pay broke down earlier in the day.

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