"We are victims but treated as perpetrators"
The case is settled at the level of compensation insurance processing
A twenty-year-old college student working part-time at a restaurant demanded full compensation for a luxury bag that was stained, sparking controversy. The owner of the luxury bag, Mr. A, has come forward to clarify the situation.
The incident became known last month on the 29th when a post titled "I was asked to compensate 7 million won for a Dior bag while working part-time. Please help" was uploaded to an online community.
On the 29th, Ms. A, who introduced herself as the mother of a part-time worker, shared her story along with a photo of a contaminated luxury bag on an online community. [Photo source = Online Community]
The author of the post, the part-time worker’s mother, said, "My son, a 20-year-old college freshman, started a part-time job at a chain restaurant during his vacation to earn some pocket money. Before even receiving his first paycheck, he was asked to pay 7 million won in compensation."
Ms. B said, "My son apologized and wiped off the liquid, thinking of compensating only for the cleaning cost, and gave his contact information. However, the next day, the victim’s boyfriend contacted us demanding full compensation of 7 million won," adding, "I don’t want to criticize the compensation demand itself, but full compensation doesn’t seem right."
The bag in question was a product from the high-end overseas brand D. Netizens who read the story reacted by criticizing the bag owner, saying things like, "If you scratch a car, do you have to buy a new one?"
As the criticism grew, the bag owner, Mr. A, posted a clarification saying, "I am the person involved in the D incident. It is true that I demanded full compensation of 7 million won, which is the purchase price of the bag, but that was only because I could not accurately determine the depreciation and damage amount. In fact, I never intended to receive full compensation."
He continued, "After inquiring at the D store, I was told that leather cleaning customer service is not even accepted, and since it is natural leather, they do not recommend entrusting it to private companies where chemical agents might be used. They said the leather’s color and texture would change."
"I never forced or threatened anyone to get the full 7 million won," he said, questioning, "Is it right that I am put in this situation just because I mentioned the 7 million won once?"
On the 29th, Ms. A, who introduced herself as the mother of a part-time worker, shared her story along with a photo of a contaminated luxury bag on an online community. [Photo source=Online Community]
He also said, "Is it okay to make us the perpetrators just because we didn’t say anything and only asked for photos and the warranty certificate?" He appealed, "They have made us look like scammers trying to extort money from young workers. Now, posts are circulating on various sites, and we are facing threats to our personal information."
It is known that the case was eventually settled through the compensation insurance that the restaurant owner had subscribed to. Ms. B posted again, saying, "The victim (bag owner) sent a lengthy apology message, and the matter was resolved amicably."
Under current civil law, if damage occurs due to a worker’s mistake, the employer can also be held jointly responsible. If it is recognized that a part-time worker caused damage to a customer during work, the employer who hired the part-time worker must also bear responsibility (joint tort liability). However, if no agreement is reached between the parties, it can lead to civil disputes such as claims for subrogation or damages. Additionally, under current labor standards law, even if a worker causes damage to the employer, the employer cannot deduct the amount from the worker’s wages.
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