Environment and Labor Committee Audit, Multiple CEOs Adopted as Witnesses

The Environment and Labor Committee passes resolution in afternoon plenary session
Opposition: "People Power Party opposes adopting group heads"
Yoon Jae-ok: "Unreasonable attendance of business leaders should not be allowed"

On the 26th, the National Assembly's Environment and Labor Committee decided to summon a large number of corporate CEOs as witnesses during the national audit. However, despite continuous demands from opposition members of the committee, Chairman Heo Young-in of SPC Group was excluded from the witness list, sparking controversy.

The Environment and Labor Committee held a plenary meeting that afternoon and approved the list of witnesses and reference persons.

Initially, the witnesses requested by both ruling and opposition members of the committee and agreed upon by the party secretaries included Lee Kang-seop, CEO of Shani; Ma Chang-min, CEO of DL E&C; Koo Chang-geun, CEO of CJ ENM; Lee Guk-hwan, CEO of Woowa Brothers; Cho Min-su, CEO of Costco Korea; Sandy Pancha Kraboti, CEO of Coupang CPLB; Joo Young-min, CEO of HD Hyundai Oilbank; Cho Sung-guk, CEO of Noroo Paint; Park Young-min, CEO of Youngpoong Group; among a total of 30 people.

However, during the committee's plenary meeting that morning, opposition members voiced opinions that the largest shareholders (owners) should be summoned as witnesses for the audit. In particular, due to a series of entrapment fatal accidents at SPC-affiliated Shani bakery factories, there were multiple calls to hold Chairman Heo directly accountable for violations of the Serious Accidents Punishment Act.

Democratic Party lawmaker Yoon Geon-young said, "All the large corporations are escaping, and only the poor small and medium-sized enterprises and salaried CEOs are being summoned as witnesses. If this is the case, I don't understand why the national audit is even necessary." He added, "Especially SPC is in the same situation as last year. Regardless of party, we promised to visit the site and, this time, to summon the SPC chairman to the audit to accurately investigate the facts. But now, all the successful people are excluded, and only small business representatives are summoned as witnesses, which is unreasonable."

Justice Party lawmaker Lee Eun-joo also stated, "Chairman Heo Young-in of SPC was not summoned as a witness despite the application. When a female worker died in an entrapment accident at SPL last year, the SPL CEO appeared and apologized, but Chairman Heo of SPC was not summoned as a witness. Since then, Chairman Heo has apologized, saying he is the 'person responsible.'" She added, "If he says he is responsible, I cannot understand why the Environment and Labor Committee cannot call him."

Chairman Park Jeong of the Environment and Labor Committee requested consultation between the party secretaries and decided to re-approve the witness list that afternoon. As a result of the discussion between the party secretaries, Park Young-woo, chairman of Daewoo Winia Group, was decided to be summoned as a witness, but Chairman Heo Young-in of SPC Group was excluded from the list.

At the Environment and Labor Committee plenary meeting held at the National Assembly on April 25, loud exchanges occurred between the ruling and opposition parties over the so-called Yellow Envelope Act. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

Democratic Party lawmaker Jin Sung-jun pointed out, "The Environment and Labor Committee directly visited and inspected the accident site." He added, "The conclusion of the on-site investigation was that the committee must thoroughly examine companies where serious accidents repeatedly occur and clarify whether the company is responsible. It is difficult to understand why this issue remains a matter for further discussion."

Opposition party secretary and Democratic Party lawmaker Lee Soo-jin said, "Everyone knows that the ultimate responsibility for the tragic deaths of workers due to serious accidents lies with the heads of the groups." She added, "Despite continuous requests during negotiations, the People Power Party insisted on opposing the summoning of group heads, which is regrettable."

Chairman Park said, "If the 'Request for Attendance of Witnesses and Reference Persons for the National Audit' is not approved today, we will not be able to summon any witnesses," and concluded, "We will continue discussions on the issue of summoning Chairman Heo as a witness later."

Although Chairman Heo was excluded from the witness list that day, there is a possibility he may be summoned as a witness during the comprehensive audit. Democratic Party lawmaker Woo Won-shik said, "On the first day of the audit, let's call that person (Shani CEO) and if that is not sufficient, then summon Chairman Heo Young-in during the comprehensive national audit."

The People Power Party did not express any particular stance regarding the witness summons during the plenary meeting that day. However, Yoon Jae-ok, floor leader of the People Power Party, said at the afternoon floor strategy meeting, "Every year during the national audit, there have been criticisms that the National Assembly forcibly summons corporate heads and economic figures to embarrass them or abuses the system by requesting witnesses for complaint resolution purposes." He added, "Regardless of party, excessive witness requests should be restrained."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.