Kakao labor union demands transparency in executive compensation

The Kakao labor union has called for greater transparency and fairness regarding executive compensation, citing a significant gap between high-level management rewards and the standards applied to general employees. The union criticized the concentration of wealth among executives, arguing that while management receives billions of won in rewards, the responsibility for management failures is often borne by employees and shareholders.

According to recent disclosures, former CEO Hong Eun-taek received approximately 3.28 billion won, and former CPO Hong Min-taek received 2.81 billion won in the first half of the year. Current CEO Jung Shin-a received approximately 1.2 billion won, a 29.6% increase from the previous year. At KakaoBank, CEO Yoon Ho-young received over 8.17 billion won, largely driven by stock option gains.

The union is demanding that the company disclose the specific criteria used to calculate executive pay and implement a consistent performance-based distribution principle across the entire organization. They plan to pursue joint negotiations involving major Kakao affiliates at the end of August to demand responsible management and fair compensation principles.