Seoul: A labor union at Kakao Corp., the operator of South Korea's popular messenger service, and the company's management began a second round of mediation with the Gyeonggi Regional Labor Relations Commission on Wednesday, industry sources said.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the mediation procedures were initiated after the two sides failed to narrow differences in the first round of wage talks held on May 18. If the regional labor office decides to suspend the mediation, unionized members at Kakao's headquarters will secure their rights to strike, along with unions at four of the company's affiliates.

The five labor unions had voted last week in favor of a walkout after wage negotiations with management fell through. This development is part of a larger trend of calls for performance-based bonuses and profit sharing in South Korean companies, a movement that gained momentum following the recent labor-management dispute at Samsung Electronics Co.

Kakao's union is reportedly seeking to include restricted stock unit grants, a form of equity compensation, in the official performance-based incentive pool. This demand highlights the union's push for a more equitable distribution of the company's financial success among its employees.