Published September 9, 2026 - 6:02 p.m.

Naver Z union members chant slogans during a partial strike against a salary freeze at Naver 1784 in Seongnam, Gyeonggi, on Sept. 9.YONHAP

Unionized workers at Naver Z, Naver’s metaverse affiliate, launched their first-ever walkout on Wednesday to protest the company’s decision to freeze wages.

The partial walkout was scheduled to last until 5 p.m., the portal operator’s affiliatewide union said. It added that it could escalate its collective actions if demands are not met, warning of a full-day strike on Sept. 23 and a five-day strike afterward.

Naver Z’s management and the union failed to reach an understanding in two rounds of negotiations mediated by regional labor authorities.

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In late July, the members secured the right to strike after 98 percent of those who cast ballots voted in favor of collective action.

The latest development marks the second industrial action from Korea’s portal service industry after unionized members of Kakao, a messenger app operator, staged multiple walkouts in June.

Yonhap