Car Pooling App Blocked in South Korea Because of Taxi Industry

Here is the latest update on the status of Kakao’s planned carpooling app in South Korea:

 South Korea’s finance minister said Wednesday that local carpooling services will only get off the ground after an understanding is reached between Kakao Mobility Corp. and representatives from the taxi industry.
The comments by Hong Nam-ki came nearly two weeks after a taxi task force decided to join a social dialogue body meant to resolve disputes over carpooling services.

It remains unclear whether the parties concerned can work out their differences and produce a win-win deal.
In December, heads of four taxi associations boycotted a meeting with the government, the ruling party and Kakao Mobility on how to lay the groundwork for the creation of a social dialogue body.
The taxi associations, which speak for taxi companies and drivers in South Korea, have warned that a hard-won dialogue could collapse if a social dialogue body moves forward on the premise of allowing carpooling services.

Yonhap

You can read more at the link, but basically the taxi services do not want competition that would force them to provide better service in a competitive market place.