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SPC to halt KBO bread production in wake of factory fatality

Published: 29 May. 2025, 18:40

SPC's SPL plant in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi, where a worker in her 20s died in an industrial accident on Oct. 10, 2022. [NEWS1]

SPC Samlip said Thursday it will halt production of its KBO-themed bread next month and overhaul factory safety measures — a move that comes only after a third worker was recently killed on the job and public outrage boiled over into a nationwide boycott.

The incident, which marks the third worker death at an SPC-affiliated facility in under three years, has fueled a growing boycott of the company’s products.

In a public statement posted on its website under the name of CEO Kim Bum-soo, the company said it will “focus more on improving safety and regaining public trust.”

The KBO bread line — launched in March in partnership with the Korean baseball league to coincide with the start of the season — became a hit largely due to collectible player stickers included in the packaging. Some resold at a premium online.

However, public backlash followed after a female worker in her 50s died on May 19 after being caught in machinery at the company’s Siheung plant, which produced the KBO bread. A boycott campaign has since begun to gain traction.

SPC Samlip said Thursday it reached an agreement with the KBO and retailers to stop producing the bread beginning June 1.

KBO bread is sold at a supermarket in Seoul on May 15. [NEWS1]

The company outlined three main commitments: strengthening its safety systems, rebuilding its production structure with safety at the core and fostering a safety-first culture on the factory floor.

SPC said the machine involved in the fatal incident will be fully dismantled and discarded once government investigations conclude.

It also promised to launch joint safety inspections with union, production and safety managers every month, and expand external safety audits from biannually to quarterly. The company will also increase staffing in occupational safety roles.

As part of its revised production approach, SPC will now shut down each production line at the Siheung plant one day a week for equipment checks and safety reinforcement.

It also plans to introduce a four-shift, three-team rotation system on select lines to reduce consecutive working hours, following consultations with labor representatives.

SPC will increase safety meetings and establish a hotline and digital suggestion platform for reporting safety concerns. It said it aims to identify and eliminate risks and harmful practices, and implement a feedback loop to ensure continual improvement.

SPC Group Chairman Hur Young-in bows in apology for the death of a female worker in her 20s who died in an industrial accident at a SPC-affiliated plant in Pyeongtaek on Oct. 21, 2022. [YONHAP]

SPC issued a renewed apology Thursday, saying, “We sincerely apologize to everyone who has been affected by this incident.”

The company added that it is providing four weeks of one-on-one psychological support to workers in need, with additional treatment available for those deemed at high risk.

At a parliamentary emergency meeting hosted by Democratic Party Rep. Kim Ju-young earlier in the day, SPC’s top executives, including CEOs Kim Bum-soo and Do Sae-ho as well as Chairman Hwang Jong-hyeon, bowed in apology.

Do acknowledged that the company had failed to achieve meaningful change despite ongoing efforts since a fatal accident at SPC affiliate SPL in 2022.

“We deeply regret not making fundamental changes despite extensive efforts across all affiliates,” Do said.

“We will expand and extend the 100 billion won [$73 million] safety investment plan that began in 2022, with a focus on automating equipment and hiring more safety management personnel.”

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY HWANG SOO-YEON [[email protected]]