The Netmarble labor union on the 27th demanded that ZEMPOT, a Netmarble affiliate, immediately halt what it characterized as a “recommended resignation” process—after the company notified 13 employees of standby placements on the grounds that their project had ended.

According to the union’s account, ZEMPOT on the 24th placed 13 people whose project had concluded on standby status. Management, the union said, presented those employees with three months’ worth of consolation pay and excluded them from their existing duties under the stated purpose of “supporting job-search and transition activities.” The union further explained that the company also offered a condition designed to encourage early departures: if an employee resigned within one month, ZEMPOT would pay the remaining two months of consolation pay.

ZEMPOT additionally notified employees that those who choose to remain on standby at home would receive only 80% of their wages. Employees were instructed to choose one of two options—company standby or at-home standby—within three days, and to sign two separate written agreements.

Pointing to the fact that no employment measures have been decided for after the three-month period, the Netmarble union said it interprets the move as a “recommended resignation” track that pressures employees into giving consent on short notice.

The union argued that ZEMPOT’s actions amount to an expedient headcount reduction tactic: by squeezing workers’ livelihoods without any concrete plan for reassignment, the company is effectively steering them toward “voluntary” resignation. The union also highlighted that ZEMPOT’s CEO had previously promised employees that even if a project were dissolved, the organization would be restructured in a way that preserves employment.

The Netmarble union urged the company to immediately stop using standby placements as a pathway to recommended resignation, and to faithfully consult with the union and implement an employment-retention plan for all affected employees. The union said it will respond using every available means until the company puts forward a responsible employment policy.

This article was translated from the original that appeared on INVEN.