Taxi Drivers to Rally Again Against Ride-Sharing App
Tens of thousands of taxi drivers rally in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul on Thursday afternoon in protest against the launch of Kakao's new ride-sharing app.
This is their third protest since October. Taxi drivers' groups expect 100,000 members to attend. The first rally drew 70,000, while another 40,000 converged in November. One cab driver committed suicide in protest earlier this month.
In a press conference in front of the National Assembly on Wednesday, taxi drivers' unions threatened to mobilize 10,000 cabs to block one of the bridges over the Han River. Union leader Koo Soo-young said, "We will not communicate with anyone until the National Assembly passes a law prohibiting ride-sharing services."
Seoul city officials are bolstering subway and bus services during commuting hours on Thursday.
Ride-sharing apps are increasingly popular around the world despite protests from conventional taxi drivers and in many cases more convenient and reliable.
