Seoul: Unionized workers at Naver Z Corp., the metaverse affiliate of Naver Corp., initiated their first-ever partial strike on Wednesday. The strike is in response to the company's decision to freeze wages, a move that has sparked discontent among the workforce.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the partial walkout is scheduled to continue until 5 p.m., as declared by the affiliate-wide union of the portal operator. The union has indicated that further collective actions could be taken if their demands remain unmet. They have issued a warning that a full-day strike could occur on September 23, followed by a potential five-day strike.
Naver Z's management and the union have been unable to reach an agreement despite two rounds of negotiations mediated by regional labor authorities. The union members had previously secured the right to strike in late July when 98 percent of voting members supported the collective action.
This event is notable as it marks the second significant industrial action within South Korea's portal service industry. In June, unionized members of Kakao Corp., a messenger app operator, engaged in multiple walkouts, highlighting ongoing labor tensions in the sector.