Kakao union stages four-hour strike and rally in South Korea over pay

Kakao

10/06/2026 02:40

    PANGYO, South Korea, June 10 (Reuters) - Unionised workers at South Korean tech firm Kakao 035720.KS began a four-hour strike and rally on Wednesday, demanding job security and changes to the company's bonus system. 
The strike will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (0100 GMT to 0600 GMT), with workers set to join a rally at a square near Kakao's office in Pangyo, Gyeonggi province, a union leader said in a text message. The rally will include a march from the subway station, the union said.
The dispute comes amid signs of growing labour unrest in Asia's fourth-biggest economy as some companies clock up record earnings amid a global AI boom. Samsung Electronics' 005930.KS union secured ⁠a ​deal this month tying chip division bonuses to ​10.5% of operating profit after strike threats.
Kakao, which operates South Korea's biggest messaging app, said last month it had failed to reach a wage deal with the union in government-mediated talks.
The union has said Kakao's compensation system needs to be reformed, arguing that only executives have received increases in bonus payments in recent years while other employees have seen limited benefits.
Kakao previously said it rejected the union's demand for profit-sharing, calling it unrealistic. The union declined to confirm details on the negotiation. 
The union has notified local police that 1,200 members would take part in the rally.
Kakao Group has about 6,000 workers, according to the company.
The company said in a statement on Wednesday that it is running a real-time system to respond to the strike. Management would continue to hold negotiations with the union to reach a deal, it said. 

 (Reporting by Heejin Kim, Hongi and Jeongmin Ryu
Editing by Ed Davies)
 ((Heejin.Kim@thomsonreuters.com;))