'Detainment Warrants Denied for 2 SPC Subsidiary Executives Urging Union Withdrawal'

Court: "Insufficient Necessity and Justification for Detention at This Stage"

Arrest warrants for SPC Group subsidiary executives suspected of coercing Paris Baguette bakery workers affiliated with the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) to withdraw from the union were dismissed.

On the 17th, Yoon Jae-nam, the chief judge in charge of warrants at the Seoul Central District Court, dismissed the arrest warrants for PB Partners Executive Director Jeong and Deputy General Manager Jeong after a warrant hearing, stating, "At this stage, there is insufficient necessity and validity to detain the suspects."

Judge Yoon said of Executive Director Jeong, "Considering the circumstances of the crime, methods, and surrounding context, as well as the possibility of victim recovery, the nature of the offense is not good," but added, "He generally admits wrongdoing and shows remorse, and most evidence related to the crime itself has been secured, so the risk of additional evidence destruction is low."

He continued, "There is also a lack of objective evidence to recognize that the suspect ordered organized evidence destruction, and considering his occupation, residence, and family relations, the risk of flight appears low."

Regarding Deputy General Manager Jeong, Judge Yoon stated, "There are circumstances suggesting that Deputy General Manager Jeong instructed or encouraged manufacturing sites to replace mobile phones and install anti-forensic apps, but there is insufficient evidence to conclude involvement in organized evidence destruction," and "Considering the crime's circumstances and degree of involvement, the necessity and validity of detention are lacking."

Earlier, the Public Investigation Division 3 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Im Sam-bin) requested arrest warrants for Executive Director Jeong and Deputy General Manager Jeong on charges of violating the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act.

According to the prosecution, they are suspected of unfair labor practices such as imposing personnel disadvantages like demotions on union members or coercing them to withdraw from the union. Executive Director Jeong is also charged with violating the Personal Information Protection Act for handing over the list of KCTU union members to the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) Food Industry PB Partners Union and nationwide business divisions around March 2021.

PB Partners is a company responsible for recruiting and training Paris Baguette bakery workers. The prosecution is investigating allegations that PB Partners committed unfair labor practices, including coercing members of the KCTU Hwasum Food Union Paris Baguette branch to withdraw from the union or imposing personnel disadvantages between February 2021 and July 2022 (violations of the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act).

Previously, the Seongnam branch of the Ministry of Employment and Labor referred PB Partners CEO Hwang Jae-bok, four current and former executives, six business division heads, and 17 middle managers to the prosecution on charges of violating the Trade Union and Labor Relations Adjustment Act.