Kakao names Kim Do-young as co-chair of group control tower
Kakao Corporate Alignment Council co-Chair Kim Do-young / Courtesy of Kakao Group
Mobile platform giant Kakao Group named Kakao Investment CEO Kim Do-young as co-chair of the group’s control tower, ahead of the planned spin-off of its flagship unit Kakao Corp.
Kakao Group said Monday that its CEOs agreed to appoint Kim as co-chair of the Corporate Alignment (CA) Council. Kim will lead the council alongside existing CA Council Chair Chung Shin-a, who is also CEO of Kakao Corp.
The group said the appointment is intended to ensure continuity in key decision-making and enhance organizational stability ahead of the spin-off. Kim and Chung will jointly oversee major decisions until the split, while strengthening group-wide coordination and execution.
Kim is an investment specialist who built his career as an investment banking director at Samsung Securities. Before joining Kakao Group, he served as chief financial officer of Kolon Mobility Group from 2022 to 2025.
The appointment is in line with the proposed spin-off of Kakao Corp. Under the plan, the company will be split into Kakao AI, which will oversee flagship messenger KakaoTalk, artificial intelligence (AI), advertising and commerce; and Kakao X, which will oversee platforms including KakaoBank, Kakao Pay and Kakao Mobility. When approved, Chung will lead Kakao AI and Kim will lead Kakao X.
Kakao Group plans to complete the spin-off in January next year and relist the two entities on Jan. 27. The plan initially faced opposition from Kakao Group’s labor unions and some individual investors, but is expected to gain momentum after only 2 percent of shareholders opposed Kakao’s merger with Kakao Investment last week, the first step in the planned restructuring.
“This co-chair system is intended to ensure groupwide continuity and systematic execution during this critical transition ahead of the spin-off,” Kakao Group said. “Kakao will closely manage preparations for the split through task forces dedicated to each area and make every effort to ensure a stable transition.”
Kim Beom-su, Kakao founder and head of its Future Initiative Center, arrives at the Seoul High Court in Seocho District, Wednesday. Yonhap
The appointment came amid ongoing legal proceedings involving Kakao founder and largest shareholder Kim Beom-su. Last week, prosecutors sought a 15-year prison term for founder Kim during an appeal over his alleged involvement in inflating SM Entertainment’s stock price during Kakao’s 2023 acquisition of the K-pop agency.
Kim was acquitted by the Seoul Southern District Court in October 2025, but prosecutors appealed the ruling, arguing that the lower court had erred in its findings of fact and interpretation of the law.
Kim stepped down as chair of the CA Council in early 2025 for health reasons and currently leads the group’s Future Initiative Center. While he has stepped back from the top leadership post, he continues to wield influence as the group’s largest shareholder. The latest appointment is also seen as an effort to further separate the group’s management from Kim’s legal risks and strengthen its professional management structure.