Eastar Jet is taking steps to reduce its workforce as the budget carrier continues to seek a buyer after rival Jeju Air scrapped plans to acquire it.

According to industry sources on Friday, Eastar Jet will announce a restructuring list on August 31 with plans to lay off workers by the end of September.

Those subject to the latest redundancy are around 700 of the remaining 13-hundred employees.

Workers who sign up for voluntary retirement will be given priority in future reemployment and in the payment of back wages.

But whether the voluntary retirement incentive will actually take place is unclear as employees remain opposed to the plan.

Earlier, the management of Eastar Jet briefed employee representatives and the pilot labor union about the planned personnel reduction aimed at securing a new buyer on the premise of hiring back laid off workers if a deal is signed.