1st-ever strike looms at Kakao as final mediation talks set for Wed.

Kakao’s first-ever strike hangs in the balance as the company’s labor union and management prepare to hold a second — and final — mediation session Wednesday. Unless the two sides reach a deal in talks overseen by the Gyeonggi Regional Labor Relations Commission, employees at the operator of Korea’s most widely used messaging app, KakaoTalk, and its four affiliates are expected to walk off the job. The union filed for mediation with the commission after wage negotiations with management broke down on May 18. The mediation period, which may be extended by up to 10 days with mutual consent, was subsequently extended following the first round of talks. Two days later, the union said workers at Kakao and four affiliates — Kakao Pay, Kakao Enterprise, DK Techin and XL Games — voted in favor of a strike. The union is also said to be considering a range of collective actions, including strikes, work-to-rule campaigns and slowdowns. The union is reportedly seeking performance-based incentives equivalent to around 13 to 14 percent of the IT giant's operating profit. It has also call

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