Mart Employees Wearing 'Yun Impeachment' Badges... Personal Info Exposed and Boycott Threats

Yoon Supporters Share Photos and Urge Protest Calls
Mart Union to File Police Complaint Over "Online Harassment" Tomorrow

Some employees of major supermarkets wore badges calling for the impeachment of President Yoon Suk-yeol while working, leading supporters of President Yoon to share their photos online and engage in so-called 'doxxing,' sparking controversy. The supermarket labor union has announced plans for legal action as the 'online harassment' continues.

According to Yonhap News on the 3rd, the Supermarket Industry Labor Union (Mart Union) of the Service Federation of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) started a 'badge protest' last December by wearing round badges with the phrase 'Impeach Yoon Suk-yeol' attached to their uniforms while working.

Once this became known, more than 100 posts appeared on online communities supporting President Yoon, such as the People Power Party gallery on DC Inside, requesting or certifying that protest calls were made to various supermarkets. One poster wrote, "I will continue the boycott until all related employees are fired," and added, "I will keep making protest calls to demand when these employees will be dismissed."

They also engaged in so-called 'pinpointing' on social media by revealing photos of supermarket workers wearing the badges and sharing store phone numbers. It was reported that in one store, a supporter of President Yoon wearing a 'fraudulent election' cape roamed around trying to identify workers wearing the badges.

A press conference for the Mart Union's campaign to wear 'Impeach Yoon Seok-yeol' badges in December last year. Mart Union

Bae Jun-kyung, the organizing director of the Mart Union, said, "We have been continuously receiving reports that personal information of union officials was dug up, and calls were made to store customer centers asking, 'Is this person really working here?'" He added, "Online harassment such as pinpointing has not stopped, causing many union members to feel anxious."

As the controversy grew, the management reportedly sent warning letters to those participating in the badge protest, asking them to "stop political activities within the company" and "not to attach unnecessary items to uniforms while working."

There have been previous cases in the distribution industry where workers took similar actions based on political leanings. For example, during the 2016 candlelight protests calling for the impeachment of former President Park Geun-hye and the 2019 boycott of Japanese products, the Mart Union wore badges expressing participation, which led to conflicts with management.

Meanwhile, the Mart Union plans to hold a press conference at 10:30 a.m. on the 4th in front of the Seoul Seodaemun-gu Police Agency to file complaints against unidentified DC Inside users who participated in the online harassment, charging them with defamation and insult.