## SK Telecom’s AI Division Launches Voluntary Retirement Plan Weeks After Starting
In a move that has sparked significant controversy within th...
In a move that has sparked significant controversy within the company, SK Telecom's newly established AI division, known as AI CIC (Company-in-Company), has announced a voluntary retirement program just weeks after its inception. This initiative comes as part of an effort to streamline organizational efficiency and eliminate overlapping functions among previously separate AI teams within the company.
Established in September 2025, the AI CIC integrates several...
Established in September 2025, the AI CIC integrates several key AI businesses, including consumer AI service "A. (A dot)," enterprise AI solution "A. Biz," AI data center operations, and global AI investment and partnership initiatives. The division operates independently with around 1,000 employees and has its own budget and HR authority. The decision to launch a voluntary retirement program so soon after its establishment has raised eyebrows, with some employees and industry observers viewing it as a de facto restructuring plan targeting long-tenured, high-salary workers.
The voluntary retirement plan is open to employees with more...
The voluntary retirement plan is open to employees with more than five years of service, offering severance compensation equivalent to up to four years' salary. However, those who decline to participate may face reassignment to regional offices, according to internal discussions. This aspect of the plan has led to internal backlash, with some employees expressing dissatisfaction and interpreting the move as a strategy to reduce costs by encouraging high-salary employees to leave.
SK Telecom officials have framed the program as a measure to...
SK Telecom officials have framed the program as a measure to ensure job and career protection for employees amidst organizational changes. The company is focusing on integrating its AI capabilities to accelerate innovation in the sector, a move that aligns with its broader strategy to drive AI innovation through the AI CIC. Despite these assurances, the timing and nature of the plan have raised concerns about the company's commitment to retaining experienced staff and the potential impact on morale within the division.
The controversy surrounding this move highlights the challen...
The controversy surrounding this move highlights the challenges companies face in balancing organizational efficiency with employee welfare, particularly in a rapidly evolving technological landscape. As SK Telecom continues to push forward with its AI ambitions, managing the expectations and concerns of its workforce will be crucial to maintaining a cohesive and motivated team.
In recent years, SK Telecom has been actively investing in A...
In recent years, SK Telecom has been actively investing in AI infrastructure and initiatives, aiming to position itself as a leader in the AI sector. The launch of the AI CIC and subsequent restructuring efforts reflect the company's strategic shift towards AI-driven innovation, which is expected to play a central role in its future growth and competitiveness. However, the implementation of such strategies must be carefully managed to avoid alienating key talent and undermining the very foundation of the company's AI ambitions.
🔄 Updated: 10/17/2025, 12:10:41 PM
SK Telecom’s newly formed AI division, AI CIC—created just last month by merging key AI units and employing about 1,000 staff—has sparked backlash after announcing a voluntary retirement plan on October 16, offering up to four years’ salary as severance for employees with five or more years of service[1][2]. Employees have sharply criticized the move, with internal sources calling it “a de facto layoff targeting high-salary, long-tenured workers,” while those who decline retirement face possible relocation to regional offices, deepening concerns over job security[1][2]. Public reaction has been skeptical, with industry watchers questioning the timing and transparency of the plan, as SK Telecom maintains it aims to “integrate organizational capabilities
🔄 Updated: 10/17/2025, 12:20:37 PM
SK Telecom’s newly formed AI division, AI CIC, stunned industry observers by offering a voluntary retirement program to its roughly 1,000 employees—just weeks after its high-profile launch in late September 2025[1][3][4]. The company is targeting staff with five years or more tenure, offering severance equal to up to four years’ annual salary, while warning those who decline may face reassignment to regional offices, sparking internal criticism that the move effectively targets higher-paid, long-serving employees[3][4].
Company officials confirmed the plan is not a “restructuring or downsizing measure,” but rather “a supportive measure” for roles, organizations, or work locations that may change during the ongoing integration of overlapping AI
🔄 Updated: 10/17/2025, 12:30:40 PM
SK Telecom’s newly formed AI CIC, with about 1,000 employees, has launched a voluntary retirement program just weeks after its September launch, offering up to four years’ salary in severance—targeting staff with five or more years of service—amid controversy that the move is a de facto restructuring to reduce high-salary, long-tenured roles[2][3]. Employees who decline the retirement offer may face reassignment to regional offices, a shift sources say is meant to “eliminate overlapping functions” as the company centralizes its AI business under the newly independent CIC, which now controls its own budget and HR decisions[2][3]. The move comes as SK Telecom aims to boost AI-driven growth, targeting
🔄 Updated: 10/17/2025, 12:40:16 PM
Following SK Telecom’s AI CIC division launching a voluntary retirement program just weeks after its September debut, the company’s stock showed visible market jitters. On October 16, SK Telecom’s shares fell by approximately 3.2%, reflecting investor concerns over the sudden organizational pivot and possible underlying instability in the AI strategy[1][2]. Analysts noted that offering retirement packages to all 1,000 AI CIC employees so soon after launch—combined with the threat of relocations—raised questions about the division's initial execution and long-term outlook, fueling short-term negative sentiment in the stock market[3][4].
🔄 Updated: 10/17/2025, 12:50:10 PM
In a surprising move, SK Telecom's AI CIC division has just launched a voluntary retirement program, impacting approximately 1,000 employees. Industry experts view this as a strategic realignment to streamline operations and eliminate overlapping roles, but some employees criticize it as a de facto layoff targeting high-salary workers, with severance packages offering up to four years' salary for those with five or more years of service[1][4][5]. An SK Telecom spokesperson emphasized that the program is "entirely a supportive measure" rather than a restructuring effort[2].
🔄 Updated: 10/17/2025, 1:00:13 PM
SK Telecom’s AI division, AI CIC, has offered voluntary retirement to its entire workforce of about 1,000 employees just weeks after its launch, sparking industry criticism and speculation of internal turmoil in its $3.5 billion AI push[1][2]. Experts note the severance package—equivalent to four years’ salary for employees with five or more years’ experience—aims to reduce overlap from merging multiple AI teams, but some view it as a de facto layoff of highly paid staff[2]. An industry insider commented that while the company frames this as efficiency-driven restructuring, the abruptness raises questions about strategic clarity and talent retention in South Korea’s competitive AI sector[1][2].
🔄 Updated: 10/17/2025, 1:10:17 PM
SK Telecom’s offer of voluntary retirement to all 1,000 employees in its AI CIC division just weeks after launch has sparked notable public and internal backlash. Employees criticize the move as a disguised restructuring targeting long-tenured, high-salary workers, with reports that declining retirement might lead to regional office transfers; some see this as a sharp contrast to the company’s initial AI ambitions[1][2]. Industry sources reveal severance packages up to four years’ salary, yet the sudden pivot has raised questions and concern about the division’s future and the company’s strategy[2].
🔄 Updated: 10/17/2025, 1:20:14 PM
SK Telecom’s newly launched AI division, AI CIC, has stunned industry observers by offering a voluntary retirement program to all 1,000 employees just weeks after the unit’s high-profile September debut—a move described by industry sources as “rapid strategic pivoting or early turbulence” in the company’s $3.5 billion AI bet, and raising questions about the stability of South Korea’s flagship AI push[1][2]. The program, which includes severance packages of up to four years’ salary for employees with five or more years of service, is seen as a de facto restructuring, with those declining retirement facing potential transfer to regional offices—a detail that has sparked significant internal backlash and scrutiny from global tech analysts monitoring
🔄 Updated: 10/17/2025, 1:30:18 PM
In response to SK Telecom's AI division launching a voluntary retirement plan just weeks after its inception, there has been no official regulatory or government statement as of yet. However, industry insiders are closely monitoring the situation, especially given the plan's timing and potential implications for the market. While SK Telecom claims the move is aimed at improving organizational efficiency, some employees view it as a de facto restructuring, sparking internal backlash and potential scrutiny from regulatory bodies if the situation escalates[1][2][3].
🔄 Updated: 10/17/2025, 1:40:14 PM
SK Telecom is offering voluntary retirement packages to all approximately 1,000 employees in its newly launched AI CIC division just weeks after its September debut, amid efforts to consolidate AI functions and improve organizational efficiency. Employees with over five years of service are eligible for severance compensation of up to four years' salary, while those who decline retirement may face reassignment to regional offices or other company divisions, sparking internal controversy over the move being a de facto layoff of high-salary workers[1][2][3]. The restructuring aims to eliminate task overlap following the integration of multiple AI teams under the AI CIC, with changes effective by the end of October[3].
🔄 Updated: 10/17/2025, 1:50:25 PM
SK Telecom’s AI division, AI CIC, has sparked industry controversy by launching a voluntary retirement plan just weeks after its September debut, offering severance packages equaling up to four years’ salary to around 1,000 employees with five or more years of service[1][2][3]. Experts and insiders view this move as a strategic effort to consolidate overlapping AI functions and improve efficiency, but employees criticize it as a covert restructuring targeting senior, high-salary staff, with some facing potential regional transfers if they decline retirement[2][3]. An SK Telecom spokesperson emphasized the program’s voluntary nature and denied it was a downsizing measure, though industry observers question the abrupt timing following the division’s launch[1][3].
🔄 Updated: 10/17/2025, 2:00:31 PM
SK Telecom’s newly launched AI CIC division—created in September with around 1,000 employees—has triggered controversy by offering a voluntary retirement package to its entire workforce, including up to four years’ salary in severance for those with over five years of tenure[1][2]. The announcement, made just weeks after the unit’s high-profile debut, sparked immediate backlash among employees and raised investor concerns, with analysts noting the move could signal unexpected turbulence in the company’s $3.5 billion AI strategy[3]. SK Telecom’s stock price fell 2.3% in early trading on October 17, reflecting heightened market uncertainty as the company insists the program is “entirely supportive” and not a restructuring,
🔄 Updated: 10/17/2025, 2:10:24 PM
Following SK Telecom’s AI division launching a voluntary retirement program weeks after its founding, the company’s stock experienced a notable decline, reflecting investor concerns about internal instability and strategic uncertainty. On October 17, 2025, SK Telecom shares dropped approximately 2.3%, underscoring market skepticism regarding the sudden move and its implications for the company’s $3.5 billion AI initiative[3]. Analysts pointed out that offering retirement packages to all 1,000 AI CIC employees so soon after launch signals turbulence, triggering a sell-off driven by fears of potential restructuring beyond the company’s official statements[3][1].
🔄 Updated: 10/17/2025, 2:20:37 PM
SK Telecom has offered voluntary retirement packages to all approximately 1,000 employees of its newly established AI CIC division just weeks after its launch in late September. The program targets employees with five or more years of service, offering severance compensation up to four years' salary, amid organizational integration and efficiency efforts; employees who decline retirement may face reassignment to regional offices or other divisions, sparking internal controversy over perceived forced downsizing[1][2][3].
🔄 Updated: 10/17/2025, 2:30:47 PM
SK Telecom’s newly launched AI division, AI CIC, has faced significant public and employee backlash after announcing a voluntary retirement program just weeks after its inception. Approximately 1,000 employees across all levels were offered severance packages reportedly worth up to four years’ salary, with internal criticism characterizing the move as a "de facto layoff" targeting long-tenured, high-salary workers; those declining retirement may be relocated to regional offices, fueling further discontent[1][7][9]. Employees have voiced frustration over the abruptness and timing, perceiving the program as undermining the AI division’s ambitious start and raising doubts about the company’s AI strategy[3][9].