[THE INVESTOR] Naver CEO Kim Sang-hun on July 8 apologized for plagiarizing local translation service Flitto, adding that Naver would halt its services.

“We have decided to stop our translation services as of this month after receiving complaints that they appear to be a rip-off of Flitto,” Kim said.

Flitto CEO Lee Jung-soo on July 7 had raised issue with Naver’s latest translation service that allow people to freely solicit translation work and take part in the translation process, saying it was very similar to Flitto’s services.
 

Flitto is an open-platform translation start-up that opened in 2012.

“We were shocked to see that Naver, which is in a partnership relationship with us, has launched a service that is so similar to ours,” Lee said.

In response to Kim’s apology, the Flitto CEO said there are still some unresolved issues, but that he would not publicize them.

By Kim Ji-hyun (jemmei@heraldcorp.com)