From left are SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Kakao founder Kim Beom-su and Naver founder Lee Hae-jin / Yonhap

Lawmakers criticize Kakao's insufficient preparedness for disasters

By Park Jae-hyuk

The worst-ever disruption in Kakao's services, caused by a fire last Saturday at the company's main data center in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, has prompted lawmakers to summon the owners of the companies involved in the incident to a National Assembly audit as witnesses.

The ruling People Power Party (PPP) and the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) agreed on Monday to summon SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won, Kakao founder Kim Beom-su and Naver founder Lee Hae-jin to an audit of the Ministry of Science and ICT next week. SK C&C CEO Park Sung-ha, Kakao CEO Hong Eun-taek and Naver CEO Choi Soo-yeon have also been summoned.

Kakao's main servers were located inside an SK C&C building in Seongnam where the fire broke out.

Both parties leveled criticism at Kakao for its insufficient preparedness for disasters.

While PPP floor leader Joo Ho-young pointed out Kakao's failure to set up an independent data center, DPK floor leader Park Hong-geun attributed the nationwide chaos last weekend to Kakao's negligence in its duty to establish backup systems.