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Photo courtesy of Yonhap News |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] Seoul, September 17, 2025 — Kakao’s labor union has strongly objected to new internal security measures requiring employees to sign forensic consent forms, demanding that management withdraw the policy immediately.
The Kakao chapter of the Federation of Korean Chemical Workers’ Unions announced on the 17th that it had begun collecting signatures from employees to retract consent previously obtained under pressure.
According to the union, on September 15 and 16, Kakao employees attempting to access the company’s internal systems were automatically redirected to a consent page titled “Information Security/Media Response Compliance Pledge.” Employees were unable to access corporate systems unless they agreed to the terms.
“The company effectively forced employees to sign the pledge by linking it directly to system access,” the union said, describing the measure as “a de facto compulsory consent process.”
The union particularly criticized clauses requiring employees to agree in advance to forensic procedures on personal devices if suspicious circumstances arise. It argued that the company was treating employees as potential sources of trade secret leaks or information breaches, shifting responsibility onto them without transparent communication or investigation.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
