,
, ‘\n’,
, ‘\nKakao Mobility is gearing up for the launch of a localized franchise taxi service early next month.’,
, ‘\n’,
, ‘\nAccording to the ICT industry, Kakao Mobility will start receiving applications for platform partnerships with business operators related to localized franchise taxis from September 2.’,
, ‘\n’,
, ‘\nKakao Mobility stated through its notice that “After submitting the documents for a platform partnership, a screening committee will select partners suitable for partnerships in each region through evaluations of symbiosis, business professionalism, and financial soundness.”‘,
, ‘\n’,
, ‘\nThe eligibility criteria for applying for service quality management include ▲ experience in taxi franchise business or similar forms of business ▲ assets of over 300 million won (equity of at least 100 million won) ▲ a taxi business association agreement for the business area or a concrete symbiosis plan that can replace it.’,
, ‘\n’,
, ‘\nThe localized franchise taxi model decentralizes the previously centrally managed franchise headquarters.’,
, ‘\n’,
, ‘\nIn regions excluded from the application, such as Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do, DGT Mobility, which has served as the franchise headquarters, will continue its activities.’,
, ‘\n’,
, ‘\nOnce Kakao Mobility finalizes the selection of franchise operators by region and completes procedures such as approval by the Fair Trade Commission, it is expected that related services will be launched within this year.’,
, ‘\n’,
, ‘\nKakao Mobility plans to focus on IT technology development and support while opening up the taxi platform to various franchise headquarters.’,
, ‘\n’,
, ‘\nKakao Mobility has faced criticism for virtually monopolizing the taxi platform market in Korea.’,
, ‘\n’,
, ‘\nConcerns and friction have arisen in certain regional taxi industries regarding the localized franchise taxi business.’,
, ‘\n’,
, ‘\nWhen it was revealed last month that the Busan Individual Taxi Association was shifting its stance towards entering into a franchise agreement with Kakao Taxi, the corporate taxi industry in Busan expressed opposition, stating, “If the individual taxi business association monopolizes the platform market, the survival rights of corporate taxi workers will be severely infringed upon.”.\n’]