SPC Chairman Heo Young-in Returns Home After 1 Hour of Prosecutor's Investigation... Complains of Chest Pain

Suspected Coercion to Quit Bakery Workers' Union
Suspicion of Interference in Promotion Disadvantages

Heo Young-in, chairman of SPC Group (photo), appeared at the prosecution on the 25th for questioning as a suspect but returned home after about an hour due to health reasons.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

The Public Investigation Division 3 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Im Sam-bin) summoned Chairman Heo in the afternoon for questioning as a suspect on charges of violating the Labor Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act. Chairman Heo is suspected of coercing Paris Baguette bakers to withdraw from the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) union.

Earlier, the prosecution notified Chairman Heo to appear three times on the 18th, 19th, and 21st, but he refused citing work schedules and other reasons before finally appearing on this day.

Chairman Heo, who requested a private summons from the prosecution, appeared at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office lobby in Seocho-gu, Seoul, around 12:50 PM, avoiding the waiting press.

However, it was reported that he left the prosecution office around 2 PM after complaining of chest pain about an hour into the investigation.

About one year and five months after the Ministry of Employment and Labor sent SPC subsidiary PB Partners' executives and employees to prosecution with a recommendation for indictment in October 2022, the prosecution has launched an investigation into the 'apex' of the allegations, but no substantial investigation was conducted.

The prosecution is expected to decide the future direction of the investigation by comprehensively reviewing the seriousness of the case and the circumstances of Chairman Heo's involvement secured through evidence so far.

The prosecution suspects that from July 2019 to August 2022, SPC Group was involved in urging members of the Korean Federation of Textile, Food, Chemical, and Pharmaceutical Workers' Unions (KCTU) Paris Baguette branch at PB Partners to withdraw from the union and disadvantaging them in promotions and personnel matters.

It is also understood that SPC supported the Korean Federation of Trade Unions (KFTU)-affiliated Food Industry Workers' Union at PB Partners, which is favorable to management, in securing union members, and had the union chairman A give interviews or issue statements aligned with management's position.

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