Perhaps in response to user concerns around privacy, Daum Kakao has just introduced ‘Secret Chat’ mode and ‘Decline Invites’ features for their KakaoTalk messenger, adding a higher level of privacy to the service. The new features provide users with increased options on how communications are carried out – and with whom. Secret Chat mode is a new type of chatroom that employs end-to-end encryption on all messages exchanged within the chatroom. The…

KakaoTalk Confirms They Will NOT Comply with Government Wiretapping Warrants A cyber censorship battle is being waged between the private and public sectors. Daum Kakao CEO Sirgoo Lee in particular has been embroiled in the controversy over cyber surveillance. He explained why he will not comply with government demands for records held on KakaoTalk, citing user privacy as his priority:  “I’ve honored court warrants for eavesdropping so far, but wiretapping warrants violate the law….

Edited from Business Korea: Korea is once again proving to be a market where rapid adoption of new tech services (particularly mobile) can occur at phenomenal speed. Samsung’s Milk Music, Kakao Corp’s peer to peer payments service, and Berlin-based Telegram messenger are the most recent examples. These services have attracted hundreds of thousands or even millions of subscribers in the first few weeks after release in Korea, the world’s ‘most wired nation’….