Neople, a Nexon subsidiary whose union launched the first strike in the gaming industry, has been abruptly dissolved after a conflict with the higher-level Nexon union. The union also decided to halt collective actions, including a strike that lasted more than four months.
According to the gaming industry on the 24th, the Nexon chapter of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) Chemical, Fiber and Food Union passed a motion to dissolve the Neople branch at a delegates' meeting held the previous day. In a notice to members, the Neople union said, "With the exception of the 13 Neople delegates in attendance, all 24 Nexon delegates voted in favor, and the motion to dissolve the Neople branch was approved," adding, "Upon the dissolution of the Neople branch, the rights of the members and the executive committee will be vested in the Nexon chapter."
It added, "This was a matter with no prior discussion or consultation until it was placed on the agenda of the delegates' meeting, and both the executive committee and the Neople delegates consider it very sudden," and "The dissolution of a branch was not even specified in the chapter's regulations, so we are immediately discussing with the Chemical, Fiber and Food Union and higher-level bodies whether it can be done at a delegates' meeting, and we will prepare countermeasures."
The specific reason why the Nexon union decided to dissolve the Neople union is unknown, but it is understood that they clashed over the direction of wage and collective bargaining and labor actions.
The Neople union said it launched a strike in June, the first in the gaming industry, claiming that even though the company achieved record sales in 2024 on the back of last year's performance of Dungeon & Fighter Mobile in China, the company reduced the new development incentive (GI) compared with the previous level.
Since June, the union has continued negotiations with the company while conducting both a full strike and rolling strikes, but in line with the dissolution decision, it decided to temporarily suspend the labor dispute.