Lee Jae-woong, Ahead of Second Trial, Says "No Intention to Compete with Taxis"

[Asia Economy Reporter Buaeri] Lee Jae-woong, CEO of Socar, who is facing the second trial, stated, "Tada is seriously considering its social responsibility for jobs and is trying to create a leading job model in the era of artificial intelligence (AI)."

On the 8th, Lee said on his Facebook post, "(Tada) has created better jobs than existing substitute drivers or taxi drivers within a year, and we can proudly say that we have created better jobs than overseas mobility companies, but we are well aware that there is still a long way to go to fulfill our social responsibility," he said.

Lee also said, "Tada's goal is to replace car ownership by enabling car sharing without driving," adding, "We do not intend to enter the taxi market to compete with individual taxis or corporate taxis. Rather, we are creating a new market to share and coexist with taxis."

He continued, "There are many concerns about jobs changing in the AI era," and said, "Especially, laws and systems related to jobs do not reflect these changes, so our society needs to come together and find a social consensus."

Meanwhile, the illegal controversy surrounding the van call service 'Tada' reached a turning point again on the same day. The Seoul Central District Court Criminal Division 18 presided over the second trial of CEO Lee and VCNC CEO Park Jae-wook, who were indicted for violating the Passenger Transport Service Act, on the afternoon of the 8th. In the second trial, witness examinations of Tada operating company employees are also scheduled, and a fierce legal battle is expected to unfold.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.