Kakao dealys official launch of ride-sharing service after self-immolation

By Lim Chang-won Posted : December 13, 2018, 18:19 Updated : December 13, 2018, 18:19

Mourners pay tribute at an altar set up outside parliament for a taxi driver who immolated himself in protest at a carpool service. [Yonhap News Phoot]


SEOUL -- South Korea's web service giant Kakao put off the planned launch of a smartphone app-based ride-sharing service this month as anger mounted among taxi drivers over the self-immolation of a 57-year-old driver outside parliament.

Taxi unions and other related groups threatened to organize strong protests after setting up an altar outside the National Assembly complex to pay tribute to the driver identified as Choi Woo-ki, who immolated himself by dousing his body with inflammable liquid in his car on Monday.

"We decided to postpone the official launch of our carpool service in order to collect and reflect the diverse opinions of taxi drivers, users and all walks of life," Kakao Mobility, the smart mobility wing of Kakao, said in a statement. The service was to be launched on December 17.

Kakao Mobility started the beta test of its ride-hailing service, Kakao T Carpool, last week through a limited number of randomly selected carpool crews. The company did not stop the beta test.

Taxi drivers have demonstrated, insisting Kakao T Carpool would fan an illegally paid service by passenger cars. In an October survey conducted by Seoul-based pollster Realmeter, 56 percent said Kakao T Carpool would promote the benefits of citizens while 28.7 percent opposed it.

Kakao T Taxi, a taxi hailing service launched in 2015, has been favored by consumers and taxi drivers together because of its user-friendly interface and easy access. Taxi drivers have endured low income, excessive work and poor working conditions for many years. Uber launched a car-sharing service in Seoul in 2013 but suspended it due to strong protests by city officials and taxi drivers.
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