Joiworks Emergency Committee Opposes E-Land’s HOKA-Dedicated Unit Hiring, Urges Enactment of “HOKA Act”

*This content was translated by AI.

The Emergency Response Committee (hereinafter referred to as the Emergency Committee) of employees and staff at Joiworks, the existing domestic general distributor for the global running shoe brand HOKA, strongly objected to E-Land’s move to recruit personnel for a HOKA-dedicated organization while the rights dispute between U.S. parent company Deckers and Joiworks is ongoing in international arbitration proceedings, demanding an immediate halt to the hiring process.

E-Land recently announced through media outlets that it had posted job openings for experienced hires in its HOKA business division and was moving to secure personnel.

In response, the Emergency Committee stated that while it is unclear whether this constitutes a substantive recruitment effort or a sophisticated media play aimed at seizing HOKA’s distribution rights, “the dispute over the existing general distributor contract and the transfer of distribution rights between Deckers headquarters and Joiworks remains ongoing under ICDR and related proceedings,” criticizing that “it is contradictory for E-Land to form a dedicated unit and force through business operations while the dispute remains unresolved.”

The Emergency Committee further urged a halt to hiring, stating that “premature recruitment and attempts to fully launch operations will not only undermine the employment stability of existing Joiworks employees but could also inflict secondary harm on newly hired personnel due to uncertainty arising from the outcome of future main litigation.”

An Emergency Committee official also expressed regret, noting that “for E-Land, which has emphasized integrity and mutual prosperity, to intervene in a matter under ongoing legal dispute, ignore the contributions of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and threaten the right to livelihood of existing employees is a denial of its own corporate philosophy.” The statement pointed out that this also contradicts the “Christian spirit” and values of “sharing and mutual prosperity” that E-Land Group has itself advocated.

Additionally, the Emergency Committee revealed that it had submitted a public inquiry letter to E-Land regarding the new partnership announcement between E-Land and Deckers on September 15, requesting a statement of position, but E-Land has yet to provide a clear response as of now. At the time, the head of the Emergency Committee emphasized, “This issue is not intended to defame a specific company, but rather to clarify the facts of the ongoing distribution dispute and protect the legitimate interests of members and consumers.”

As the dispute over HOKA’s domestic distribution rights has prolonged, tensions are expanding into the National Assembly.

The Emergency Committee argued that a separate legal protection mechanism, so-called “HOKA Act,” should be established to ensure that distributors who bring overseas brands into Korea and cultivate them can receive compensation for costs invested in market development and resulting achievements if they lose distribution rights. The committee plans to continuously urge legislative action through the National Assembly.

The Emergency Committee stated, “Joiworks has built HOKA’s domestic awareness, consumer base, and distribution network over the past eight years,” adding that “institutional safeguards are needed to prevent a recurring structure in which distribution rights transfer to large corporations once a brand is established in the market, causing jobs for SME workers to vanish overnight.”

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*This content was translated by AI.