Naver under pressure not to sell stake in Line to SoftBank 네이버, 라인 지분 매각 불가

[김우정]

네이버에 대한 LY주식의 소프트뱅크에 매각을 중단하라는 압박이 커지고 있습니다.

소프트뱅크도 7월까지 네이버와의 자본관계를 결정하겠다고 밝혔다.

정부는 네이버에 명확한 입장을 알려주면 모든 지원을 할 것이라고 말합니다.
이번 라인 사태에 대해 정부의 역할과 기업의 경영전략이 조화롭게 작동했으면 좋겠습니다.
 
Naver under growing pressure not to sell stake in Line to SoftBank
네이버, 소프트뱅크에 라인 지분 매각 불가 압박증가

By Baek Byung-yeul 백병열 기자
Posted : 2024-05-13 16:36 Updated : 2024-05-13 16:47
Korea Times

People walk past Naver’s headquarters in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. Yonhap 월요일 경기 성남시 네이버 본사 앞을 사람들이 걸어가고 있다. 연합

Naver, which operates the popular messenger app Line through LY Corp., is facing growing pressure to halt the divestment of its shares to SoftBank, despite mounting calls from the Japanese government and its local partners, according to industry and government officials, Monday.
월요일 업계와 정부 관계자들에 따르면 LY사를 통해 인기 메신저인 라인을 운영하는 네이버는 일본 정부와 국내 파트너들로부터 거세지는 요구에도 불구하고 소프트뱅크에 대한 지분 매각을 중단하라는 압력을 점점 더 받고 있다.

LY Corp. has been under pressure from the Japanese government to reconsider its capital relationship with Naver following a data breach last November involving around 519,000 cases of personal data through Naver Cloud's server. Naver and SoftBank's 50-50 joint venture, A Holdings, owns 64.5 percent of LY Corp.
LY사는 작년 11월 네이버 클라우드 서버를 통해 약 51만 9천 건의 개인 정보가 유출된 후 일본 정부로부터 네이버와의 자본 관계를 재고하라는 압력을 받아왔다. 네이버와 소프트뱅크의 50대 50 합작회사인 A 홀딩스는 LY사의 64.5%를 소유하고 있다.

In response to this pressure, LY Corp. CEO Takeshi Idezawa said Wednesday that the company will gradually dissolve its consignment relationship with Naver and pursue technological independence.
이 같은 압박에 대해 이데자와 다케시 엘와이(LY) 최고경영자(CEO)는 19일 네이버와의 위탁관계를 점진적으로 해소하고 기술 자립을 추구하겠다고 밝혔다.

Similarly, SoftBank announced Friday the initiation of a review of its capital relationship with Naver and said it will make a decision about its capital relationship with Naver by July.
소프트뱅크도 28일 네이버와의 자본관계 검토 개시를 발표하고 7월까지 네이버와의 자본관계를 결정하겠다고 밝혔다.

Naver also revealed its stance Friday saying it has been in talks with SoftBank, keeping all options open, including the sale of its shares in LY Corp.
네이버는 또 LY사 주식 매각 등 모든 옵션을 열어두고 소프트뱅크와 협의 중이라는 입장을 금요일 밝혔다.

Following the announcement that Naver is considering giving up control of the messenger app that is popular in Japan, Taiwan and Southeast Asia, Naver's union insisted that its stake in LY Corp. should not be sold. "Protecting Line members and the technology and know-how they have accumulated is the top priority," the union said.
네이버가 일본, 대만, 동남아 등에서 인기를 끌고 있는 메신저 앱에 대한 지배권 포기를 검토하고 있다는 발표가 나온 데 이어 네이버 노조가 엘와이 지분을 매각해서는 안 된다고 주장했다. 노조는 "라인 구성원들과 그들이 쌓아온 기술과 노하우를 보호하는 것이 최우선"이라고 밝혔다.

It continued, "The sale of (LY Corp.) shares would mean giving up not only the position of the major shareholder but also the possibility of the passion, effort, technology and experience of the members who have strived to gain global recognition for Line, which started as a Naver service, being transferred to the Japanese company SoftBank, and the possibility of employment instability for the members."
이어 "(엘와이 주식회사의) 주식 매각은 대주주의 지위뿐만 아니라 네이버 서비스로 시작한 라인이 일본 기업 소프트뱅크로 넘어가 세계적인 인지도를 얻기 위해 노력해온 구성원들의 열정과 노력, 기술, 경험의 가능성, 구성원들의 고용 불안 가능성 등을 포기하는 것을 의미할 것"이라고 설명했다.

The union criticized the company's official stance as lacking consideration for the employees who would be most affected because Line is a service that was developed through Naver in 2011.
노조는 라인이 2011년 네이버를 통해 개발된 서비스이기 때문에 회사의 공식 입장이 가장 큰 영향을 받을 직원들에 대한 배려가 부족하다고 비판했다.

"If even a part of the 50 percent stake goes to SoftBank, then about 2,500 Korean workers, who are members of Line, may fear employment instability as they become part of a subsidiary of SoftBank," the union said.
노조는 "지분 50% 중 일부라도 소프트뱅크에 넘어가면 라인 소속인 2500여명의 내국인 근로자들이 소프트뱅크 자회사로 편입되면서 고용불안을 우려할 수 있다"고 우려했다.

Furthermore, politicians have urged the government to take a more active stance, arguing that the technology and shares of a Korean company should not be allowed to be taken away by a Japanese company.
게다가, 정치인들은 한국 기업의 기술과 지분을 일본 기업에 빼앗기는 것을 허용해서는 안 된다고 주장하면서, 정부가 더 적극적인 입장을 취할 것을 촉구했다.

"The Japanese government's behavior is a clear violation of our national interests and an anti-market outrage," Rep. Cho Seung-rae of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea said Sunday during a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul. "It's time for the National Assembly to do its job, so we demand an immediate standing committee meeting and a parliamentary response."
더불어민주당 조승래 의원은 이날 서울 국회에서 기자회견을 열고 "일본 정부의 행태는 명백한 우리 국익 침해이자 반시장적 공분"이라며 "이제 국회가 할 일을 할 때가 됐으니 즉각적인 상임위 회의와 국회 대응을 요구한다"고 말했다.

He added, "At a time like this, our government should take a firm stance, but the Yoon Suk Yeol government continues to repeat its incompetence, lack of planning and irresponsibility and shifts all responsibility to Naver. The Japanese government must immediately stop its anti-market outrage."
그는 이어 "이런 때일수록 우리 정부는 단호한 입장을 취해야 하지만 윤석열 정부는 무능과 계획 부재, 무책임을 계속 반복하며 모든 책임을 네이버에 전가하고 있다"며 "일본 정부는 반시장적 공분을 즉각 중단해야 한다"고 덧붙였다.

Sung Tae-yoon, director of national policy at the presidential office, speaks during a press briefing at the presidential office in Yongsan District, Seoul, Monday. Yonhap 성태윤 청와대 국가정책실장이 월요일 서울 용산구 청와대에서 기자간담회를 갖고 모두발언을 하고 있다. 연합

Rep. Yoon Sang-hyun of the ruling People Power Party stressed the need for bipartisan cooperation in response to this situation, emphasizing the need to join forces to protect Korea's national interests.
여당인 국민의힘 윤상현 의원은 이런 상황에 대응해 초당적 협력이 필요하다고 강조하면서 우리나라 국익을 지키기 위해 힘을 모아야 한다고 강조했다.

"We urge restraint so that this issue does not escalate into an anti-Japan issue, and as soon as possible, a task force involving the private sector, both ruling and opposition parties and the government should be formed, and efforts should be made to allow both Korea and Japan to conduct a joint investigation," the lawmaker said during a press conference at the National Assembly in Seoul, Monday.
윤의원은 월요일 서울 국회에서 기자회견을 열고 "이 문제가 반일 문제로 비화되지 않도록 자제를 촉구하며 하루빨리 민간과 여야, 정부가 참여하는 태스크포스(TF)를 구성하고 한일 양국이 공동조사를 할 수 있도록 노력해야 한다"고 말했다.

A preparatory committee of IT civil solidarity for fairness and justice also called for the formation of a fact-finding committee in the National Assembly, claiming that the Japanese government deceived the Korean government and pressured Naver to sell its shares in LY Corp.
공정, 정의를 위한 IT시민연대 준비위원회도 일본 정부가 한국 정부를 속이고 네이버에 엘와이 주식 매각을 압박했다고 주장하며 국회 내 진상조사위원회 구성을 요구했다.


"The Japanese government is deceiving us by saying there was no mention of 'share sale' in its administrative guidance," the organization said on Monday. "We are outraged by Japan's duplicity and wordplay, and we can't help but doubt the diplomatic credibility and national dignity of the Japanese government, which claims to be a global leader."
이 단체는 월요일 "일본정부는 행정지도에서 '지분 매각'에 대한 언급이 없었다고 속여 우리를 속이고 있다,"며 "일본의 이중성과 말장난에 분노하고 있으며, 세계적인 리더를 자처하는 일본 정부의 외교적 신뢰성과 국가 존엄성을 의심하지 않을 수 없다."고 밝혔다.

In response to these demands from politicians and the public, the government stated that it has been closely communicating with Naver regarding response measures and will continue to provide all necessary support.
이러한 정치권과 국민들의 요구에 대해 정부는 대응 방안과 관련해 네이버와 긴밀히 소통해 왔으며 앞으로도 필요한 모든 지원을 아끼지 않을 것이라고 밝혔다.

"The government's consistent stance is to prioritize the interests of our citizens and companies above all else. Under this principle, the government has so far respected Naver's position to the fullest and reflected it in its own response. If Naver has any additional positions, the government will also provide all necessary support at the government level," Sung Tae-yoon, director of national policy at the presidential office, said during a press briefing, Monday.
성태윤 청와대 국가정책실장은 월요일 언론 브리핑에서 "정부의 일관된 입장은 무엇보다 우리 국민과 기업의 이익을 우선시하는 것"이라며 "이런 원칙 아래 정부는 지금까지 네이버의 입장을 최대한 존중해왔고 자체 대응에도 반영해왔다,"고 말했다. 성태윤 청와대 국가정책실장은 이날 언론 브리핑에서 "네이버가 추가로 어떤 입장이 있으면 정부 차원에서도 필요한 모든 지원을 아끼지 않을 것"이라고 말했다.

"If Naver decides to maintain its shares in and operation of LY Corp., we will support the implementation of appropriate information security measures. We hope this issue, which has attracted high public interest, will serve as an opportunity for Naver to strengthen its information security."
이어 "네이버가 LY사 지분 유지 및 운영을 결정할 경우 적절한 정보보안 대책이 시행될 수 있도록 지원할 것"이라며 "국민적 관심이 높은 이번 사안이 네이버가 정보보안을 강화하는 계기가 되기를 기대한다."고 말했다.

Experts have expressed concerns that if Naver sells its shares in LY Corp. to SoftBank, it could lead to a decline in the competitiveness of the company. Naver was planning to expand into Japan and Southeast Asia through the expansion of services linked to Line, but this development could negatively affect such plans.
전문가들은 네이버가 LY사 지분을 소프트뱅크에 매각할 경우 회사의 경쟁력 저하로 이어질 수 있다는 우려를 표명해왔다. 네이버는 라인과 연계한 서비스 확대를 통해 일본과 동남아 지역으로 확대할 계획이었으나 이번 개발로 이 같은 계획에 부정적인 영향을 미칠 수 있다.

"If the sale of shares becomes a reality, a short-term stock price adjustment seems inevitable, and the expansion story into Japan and Southeast Asia based on Line would inevitably lose its momentum," said Lim Hee-seok, a researcher at Mirae Asset Securities.
임희석 미래에셋증권 연구원은 "지분 매각이 현실화될 경우 단기적인 주가 조정이 불가피해 보이며, 라인을 기반으로 한 일본과 동남아로의 확장 스토리는 동력을 잃을 수밖에 없다,"고 말했다.

#Divestment매각(소각) #Pressure압박 #Stake지분 #Messengerapp메신저앱 #Databreach데이터유출 #Jointventure합작회사 #Employmentinstability고용불안 #Nationalinterests국익 #Fact-findingcommittee진상조사위원회 #Competitiveness 경쟁력