KaKao

- Commission cap introduced to mobile gift certificates to ease financial burden on merchants 

- Enhanced user benefits by increasing refund rates for gift certificates up to 100%

- Driving digital transformation for small businesses through Kakao Class and Project Dangol

 

[April 1, 2026] Kakao (CEO Shina Chung) announced that the company received a Presidential Citation at the 25th Fair Trade Day ceremony held on April 1 at the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) in Jung-gu, Seoul. The award recognizes the company’s contributions to fostering a mutually beneficial ecosystem in the mobile gift certificate market and supporting the digital transformation of small businesses.

 

Fair Trade Day was established by private economic organizations—including KCCI, the Federation of Middle Market Enterprises of Korea, the Korea Federation of SMEs, and the Korea Fair Competition Federation—to commemorate April 1, the enforcement date of the Fair Trade Act. Marking its 25th anniversary this year since its inception in 2002, the event aims to promote voluntary compliance with fair trade laws and foster a culture of fair competition among businesses.

 

Kakao was highly praised for its voluntary participation in a public-private consultative body on the mobile gift certificate market, contributing to the development of shared growth models, such as commission reductions and shortened settlement cycles. Despite no legal obligation, the company implemented an 8% commission cap and proposed a win-win approach, ensuring that fee reductions directly aid merchants—substantially easing the burden on small-size franchisees.

 

The company has also taken the initiative in strengthening consumer protection. Kakao actively participated in revising standard terms and conditions to increase the refund rate for expired mobile gift certificates from 90% to 95% for cash refunds and up to 100% for point-based refunds, significantly enhancing user convenience.

 

Another key achievement is Kakao’s continued efforts to provide practical support to small businesses through its technology and platforms. Through Kakao Class and Project Dangol, the company is driving sustainable digital transformation by enabling small business owners and traditional market merchants to communicate with customers via KakaoTalk Channels and expand their online sales channels.

 

CEO Shina Chung remarked, “We believe this recognition acknowledges Kakao’s efforts to promote fair trade practices and shared growth with small businesses, including easing commission burdens, strengthening user protection, and supporting digital transformation,” she added, “Going forward, we will continue to enhance our compliance management framework based on our Compliance Program (CP), reinforcing a preventive, preemptive approach and further embedding a culture of voluntary compliance across the organization.”

 

Since introducing the Compliance Program in August 2024, Kakao has continued to strengthen its compliance management practices. To ensure fair trade compliance is fully embedded in its corporate culture, the company is pursuing a range of initiatives, including establishing a pre-consultation system for business operations, revising internal policies and detailed guidelines related to CP, conducting compliance training and campaigns, and distributing voluntary compliance handbooks. (E.O.D.)