Prosecutors raid SPC Group headquarters in union-busting probe

Prosecutors raided the headquarters of bakery giant SPC Group as part of an investigation into allegations of union-busting by its affiliate PB Partners.

Seoul prosecutors raided the SPC Group headquarters offices on Thursday in the ongoing investigation into allegations that PB Partners, an SPC affiliate, forced Paris Baguette bakers to quit their labor union. Pictured is the SPC Group headquarters located in Seocho District, southern Seoul. [YONHAP]

Seoul prosecution raided the headquarters of bakery giant SPC Group and executives’ residences on Thursday as part of the ongoing investigation into allegations that PB Partners, an SPC affiliate, forced Paris Baguette bakers to quit their labor union in 2021.

PB Partners is alleged to have demanded that Paris Baguette bakers withdraw from the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and disadvantaged those who refused in the promotional process.

The subsidiary rewarded baking manager consultants who successfully persuaded bakers to cancel their KCTU memberships, according to Paris Baguette's chapter of the National Chemical, Textile, and Food Industries Union, which is part of the KCTU.

Prosecutors, in a separate case, are also looking into allegations that SPC CEO Hwang Jae-bok bribed investigators for information last year, while SPC Chairman Hur Young-in was under scrutiny for potential involvement in the union-busting effort.

The prosecutors said they had obtained text messages and recordings of phone calls that Hwang sent inquiring about the progress of the Hur investigation and attempting to find out the exact time of an upcoming search and seizure. They are now attempting to determine whether other SPC executives were involved in bribery.

Hwang previously served as chief of PB Partners, the company that staffs bakers at Paris Baguette. Prosecutors are attempting to determine whether Chairman Hur or other executives played a role in the union-busting attempt.

Meanwhile, two executives at SPC's affiliate who are alleged to have urged Paris Baguette bakers to leave the KCTU avoided detention on Nov. 17. A Seoul Central District Court judge rejected arrest warrants for two higher-ups who are suspected of violating the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act.

“Though the nature of the crime is not good, the suspect acknowledges his faults and reflects upon it. Most of the evidence of the crime is secured, and the chances of the suspect's destroying additional evidence seem to be low,” the judge said in regard to the decision.

SPC owns the Paris Baguette bakery chain and is the Korean importer for Shake Shack, Dunkin’ and Baskin Robbins.

BY CHO MOON-KYU, KIM JU-YEON [kim.juyeon2@joongang.co.kr]