[Editorial] No more ‘bloodstained bread’

A wave of protests is raging over the death of a young worker at a bread-making factory run by an affiliate of South Korean bakery giant SPC Group, illustrating the public anger over the negligence and malpractice that were glaringly laid bare.

The 23-year old employee was killed Oct. 15 after her upper body was caught in a sauce mixer at the factory of SPL in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province. SPL is owned by Paris Croissant, a firm wholly owned by SPC Group Chairman Heo Young-in and his family.

Heo apologized in a press conference held in Seoul on Friday, saying that the company feels responsible for the accident. But his formal apology, apparently lacking any sincerity, failed to soften soaring anger. Heo simply read a prepared script and did not take any questions, while SPC employees blocked a group of protestors from entering the group’s headquarters where the press conference was held.

Heo promised to invest an additional 100 billion won ($69.6 million) to upgrade safety management systems at the company’s worksites in the next three years, but the public reaction was largely negative, as it was not the first time that SPC Group’s malpractice made headlines. It was also not the first apology Heo has made over such an accident.

SPC Group issued Heo’s written apology over the accident on Oct. 17, but a strong boycott campaign began spreading. Amid worsening public opinion, the government kicked off an investigation. Heo, who made a public apology in person Friday, said he would take care of the bereaved, but protesters pointed out that his apology was “superficial.”

What sparked particularly emotional responses from the public is that SPL put a white screen around the machine that killed the worker and forced other employees to continue to work nearby -- a callous act that was widely made public as the related photo was uploaded on Twitter.

Labor organizations also claimed that the company has not taken any measures to fix the safety problems, even though workers’ aprons have been caught in machines at the Pyeongtaek factory.

Local media outlets cited SPC Group workers saying that they have to suffer poor working conditions due to frequent extended shifts, without proper safety measures in place. SPC Group, however, argued that it does not have any legal obligation to set up safety devices under the current law.

According to data revealed by Rep. Lee Eun-ju of the Justice Party on Tuesday, working conditions at the factory were dire and harsh. Between 2017 and September this year, a total of 37 accidents took place at the Pyeongtaek factory, with 15 workers caught in machines.

Back in 2017, the Labor Ministry caught SPC Group illegally dispatching bread-making workers. At the time, the group pledged to address the issue in a negotiation with its labor union, franchise members and civic groups. But the group has so far failed to keep its own promise, raising reasonable doubts about whether Heo and SPC Group will make good on the promised safety measures and investment plan.

In a reflection of lax safety standards at the group, a worker suffered a critical injury at a factory run by Shany -- another bread-making affiliate of SPC Group -- early on Sunday. A man in his 40s had his finger caught and severed in the conveyor belt according to police.

While putting its workers under punishing conditions, SPC Group has come to virtually dominate the domestic bread market, extending its supply to convenience stores and fast-food restaurants. Thanks to the toxic mix of relentless expansion and cheap labor, SPC Group posted over 7 trillion won in revenue last year.

The Labor Ministry is now looking into whether SPL violated the Serious Accidents Punishment Act. The ministry is encouraged to conduct a thorough investigation into SPL’s business practices and safety-related details, and hold those responsible accountable.

SPC Group also has to realize why a number of college students sympathizing with the young worker killed at the factory are staging a boycott against the group and its sprawling affiliates in a bid to stop what they call “the death machine that produced bloodstained bread.”