Kakao to spin off chat app-based platform business into KakaoAI, relist in 2027
Kakao said the split aims to cut its conglomerate discount and boost AI specialization, with KakaoAI targeting more than 6 trillion won in 2030 sales.
- On Friday, South Korea's dominant chat operator Kakao Corp announced plans to spin off its platform business into a new entity, KakaoAI, while rebranding its investment division as KakaoX to address conglomerate discounts.
- Kakao plans to complete the spinoff by January 1, with the new KakaoAI entity overseeing the popular KakaoTalk messenger app; Chief Executive Officer Chung Shin-a will lead the venture as an "AI core company."
- By 2030, KakaoAI targets over 6 trillion won in revenue and an operating margin above 30 per cent, while KakaoX aims for 10 trillion won in revenue to drive growth across both entities.
- Shareholders will receive stakes in the new entities at a 36:64 ratio, with the company pledging 300 billion won in share buybacks over three years following the January 27, 2027, relisting on the Korea Exchange.
- As the investment arm, KakaoX will manage holdings in fintech, content, and mobility, building on the 8.1 trillion won in consolidated revenue Kakao Corp reported in 2025 to support future growth engines.
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Kakao to spin off chat app-based platform business into KakaoAI, relist in 2027
SEOUL, Aug 21 : South Korea's dominant chat app operator Kakao Corp said on Friday it plans to spin off its chat app-based platform business into a new company, tentatively named KakaoAI, while retaining investment operations in a firm renamed KakaoX. With this move, the company is seeking to address a congl
Kakao resolved on the 21st to split into Kakao AI and Kakao X. Following the spin-off, Kakao appointed Jung Shin-ah, the current CEO of Kakao, as the CEO of the newly established entity Kakao AI, and Kim Do-young, CEO of Kakao Investment and the CA Council, as the CEO of the surviving entity Kakao X.
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Kakao is separating its artificial intelligence (AI) platform and affiliate businesses to pursue independent management. The plan is to accelerate decision-making within each business sector and ensure its corporate value is properly assessed in the market. Kakao announced on the 21st that it held a board meeting and resolved to split the company into a newly established entity, "Kakao AI," and a surviving entity, "Kakao X." Based on the book va…
Kakao has embarked on a major restructuring to split the company into two entities: Kakao AI and Kakao X. By separating its KakaoTalk and AI-centric platform from its techfin, content, mobility, and investment businesses, it is adopting different growth formulas...
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