SEOUL — The CEO of South Korea's bakery and beverage conglomerate, SPC Group, has been detained following accusations of pressuring employees to resign from their labor union and offering bribes to a prosecution investigator. The Seoul Central District Court approved the arrest warrant for Hwang Jae-bok on Monday, citing the risk of evidence tampering.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Hwang allegedly coerced workers at Paris Baguette, a bakery chain operated by SPC Group, into leaving their union. He is accused of enacting punitive measures in personnel decisions against those involved from 2019 to 2022. Additionally, Hwang is charged with conspiring with a high-ranking company official to provide benefits valued at 6.2 million won (approximately US$4,650) to a prosecutor's investigator. This purported exchange was aimed at obtaining confidential information regarding an ongoing investigation into SPC Chairman Hur Young-in, who faced allegations of fair trade violations and dereliction of duty between 2020 and 2023.