Supreme Court Rules Webzen Illegally Withheld Union Wages

The Supreme Court of South Korea has delivered a significant victory for labor rights, affirming that the game company Webzen engaged in unfair labor practices by withholding wage increases and bonuses from its union representatives. This ruling, which upholds previous decisions by the labor relations commissions and lower courts, sends a clear message that companies cannot arbitrarily deny agreed-upon benefits to union officials under the guise of procedural disputes.

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This ruling clearly confirms that the judiciary has determined that arbitrarily interpreting the contents of labor-management agreements and disadvantaging legitimate union activities is illegal.

The core of the conflict involved the company's refusal to pay the union leader his entitled wage increases and incentives for the 2022-2023 period. Webzen cited the union's failure to provide a membership list as the reason, a demand that became difficult to meet amidst escalating labor-management tensions, including the alleged wrongful dismissal of a vice-union leader. This stance by Webzen was seen as a punitive measure against legitimate union activities.

The union, represented by the Korean Chemical, Fiber and Food Workers' Union Webzen Branch, demonstrated a willingness to compromise. They proposed alternative methods for verifying union membership, such as using company-wide averages, averages for employees with similar tenure and job types, or data from union surveys. However, Webzen remained steadfast in its demand for the membership list, a position the courts ultimately deemed unreasonable and indicative of an intent to obstruct union operations.

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It is regrettable that there has been no communication with CEO Kim Tae-young, the person responsible for the incident, during the more than three years of legal battles.

This legal battle highlights a critical issue in labor relations: the balance of power between employers and unions. The courts' consistent rulings in favor of the union underscore the principle that collective bargaining agreements must be honored and that employers cannot use technicalities or disputes over information disclosure to undermine union activities. The Supreme Court's final decision solidifies the protection of union representatives' rights and reinforces the importance of good-faith negotiation in labor-management relations in South Korea.

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I hope that we can genuinely talk and cooperate for the future development of Webzen.