GM Korea [Newsis]
GM Korea [Newsis]

A dispute over cafeteria operations at GM Korea's Bupyeong plant has escalated into a police investigation. The company's labor union filed a complaint against GM Korea CEO Hector Villarreal and others, alleging that meal prices at the company cafeteria rose every year while food quality failed to improve.

According to the Dong-A Ilbo on Tuesday, the GM Korea branch of the Korean Metal Workers' Union filed the complaint with police on Monday, accusing Villarreal and executives and staff involved in cafeteria operations of fraud and breach of trust.

The union asked police to determine whether any unlawful conduct occurred in the outsourced operation of the cafeteria, including in the supply of ingredients and settlement of contracts. It argued that the cafeteria's operation was flawed, noting that meal prices rose every year even as food quality failed to improve.

The union said a foreign object resembling a plastic cap nut, believed to be part of a cooking utensil, was found in "gamjatang," a pork bone soup, served at Cafeteria No. 1 at the Bupyeong plant on Saturday.

The union had earlier requested an outside audit through labor-management talks, but turned to police after management said an internal audit found no problems. The union separately asked Bupyeong-gu and the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to carry out an emergency hygiene inspection.

Police plan to review the complaint and proceed with an investigation, including questioning those involved.


husn7@heraldcorp.com