Why is KakaoBank’s labor union planning a five-day strike in late August and early September?

The union says management has not offered a satisfactory wage deal and that talks over pay raises and other benefits have stalled. It is urging the company to improve its proposal to avoid the walkout.

What financial results did KakaoBank report in the first quarter?

KakaoBank reported operating income of 211 billion won and revenue of 1.94 trillion won. The company said both figures were quarterly highs.

How are Kakao affiliates reacting to the company’s planned spin-off?

Unionized workers at Kakao affiliates, including KakaoBank, said they will try to prevent the parent company from spinning off its chat-app-related businesses. They staged collective action near Kakao’s headquarters in Pangyo and accused management of trying to evade responsibility by splitting the company.

KakaoBank's labor union reaffirms 5-day strike next week

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Summary

KakaoBank’s labor union on Wednesday urged management to improve its wage offer as members prepare for a five-day strike from Aug. 31 to Sept. 4. The union said talks over pay raises and other benefits have made little progress. KakaoBank reported first-quarter operating income of 211 billion won on revenue of 1.94 trillion won, both quarterly highs. Kakao affiliates also warned they would block the parent company’s planned spinoff of its chat-app businesses.

Key Facts

The union said the planned strike will run from Aug. 31 to Sept. 4.
KakaoBank logged first-quarter operating income of 211 billion won on revenue of 1.94 trillion won.
The unionized workers at KakaoBank staged a full strike on July 31.
Unionized workers at Kakao Corp. reached a final wage deal earlier this month after a three-month dispute.
Kakao last week announced plans to split into KakaoAI and KakaoX to strengthen its artificial intelligence capabilities.

By Yonhap

Published Aug 26, 2026 3:22 pm KST
Updated Aug 26, 2026 6:15 pm KST

Members of Kakao's labor union partipate in a strike in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Wednesday. Yonhap

The labor union of internet-only KakaoBank on Wednesday urged management to sweeten its wage deal as its members are set to launch a five-day strike amid little progress in their talks over wage increases and other benefits.

The labor union and KakaoBank's management have been in negotiations over a pay raise and other benefits but failed to narrow outstanding differences.

The union said earlier the strike will run from Aug. 31 to Sept. 4.

It argued that management should offer better wage proposals in order to avert the planned strike.

On July 31, the unionized workers also went on a full strike.

In the first quarter of the year, KakaoBank logged an operating income of 211 billion won ($143 million) on revenue of 1.94 trillion won, both quarterly highs.

Unionized workers at the bank's parent, Kakao Corp., and its management, meanwhile, reached a final wage deal earlier this month after a three-month dispute.

Also on Wednesday, unionized workers of Kakao affiliates, including KakaoBank, warned they will prevent the parent company from spinning off its chat-app-related businesses.

"The management is trying to evade responsibility by splitting the company, without holding accountable for failed management that has continued on for years," the head of the affiliate-wide union said, as they staged collective action near the company's headquarters in Pangyo, south of Seoul.

Kakao had announced last week plans to split the company into two entities — KakaoAI and KakaoX — to strengthen its artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities.

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