Co-CEO of SKorean chat app steps down over service outage

By KIM TONG-HYUNG
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A top executive of South Korea’s largest mobile chat app, Kakao, has resigned over a widespread service outage that triggered an outpouring of complaints in a country that is heavily reliant on such technology. Namkoong Whon, who became Kakao’s co-CEO in March, said he will resign to focus on his role as the leader of the company’s emergency task force for solving the technical problems exposed by the outage. It was caused by a fire at a data center near Seoul on Saturday. The fire initially paralyzed most of Kakao’s services, causing huge disruption in a country where millions of people rely on the apps to chat with friends, wire money and hail taxis.