Kakao to Grant 200 Stock Options to All Employees

Kakao will grant stock options to all employees.

According to the IT industry on the 13th, Kakao will propose an agenda at the shareholders' meeting on the 28th to grant 200 stock options per person to all employees at the headquarters (3,652 people).

Following the shareholders' resolution, Kakao plans to grant a total of 730,400 common shares through new stock issuance and treasury stock delivery.

The stock option exercise period will be five years starting from March 28, 2026. Employees can exercise 50% after two years of continuous service and the remaining portion after three years of continuous service in installments. The exercise price will be determined at the time of grant.

Kakao granted up to 200 stock options per person over three years from 2021 to last year. At that time, employees who worked for more than one year received 200 shares, and those with less than one year received 100 shares, but this year, the distinction based on length of service was removed.

The expansion of stock option compensation is interpreted as an effort to boost internal morale and secure talent.