Kang Kwang-gu, CEO of LBM, which operates London Bagel Museum, posted the company's stance on the controversy over an employee's death from overwork on the company's social networking service (SNS) on the 29th.
Kang said on London Bagel Museum's SNS that "the deceased was a more diligent and responsible employee than anyone," and "the working hours in the week just before the incident were higher than usual." He added, "We deeply reflect on the pain and disappointment the bereaved family must have felt due to our insufficient response, and we sincerely apologize."
Kang said, "The deceased had exceptional passion for work and always thought about and devoted effort to the company and colleagues even outside working hours," adding, "Thanks to that diligence and sense of responsibility, the person took part in opening a new branch and did their best beyond the assigned role."
He continued, "By nature, opening a new branch involves work whose intensity temporarily concentrates during preparation," and "Taking into account this special situation, our company also dispatched 13 additional staff to the hall part right before opening to provide support. Even so, we expect that employees who worked during that period must have had difficult days."
However, LBM says that due to a fingerprint recognition device error, it has no records to support the deceased's actual working hours right before the incident, and that the company cannot determine whether it was death from overwork.
Kang promised, "We will faithfully cooperate with investigations by relevant authorities regarding this matter, and we will provide all verifiable materials as they are so that the facts can be clearly established," adding, "There will be no distortion or concealment in the process."
Kang said, "At the beginning of the incident, the company failed to fully grasp how the on-site operations executive responded, and we again apologize for the inappropriate response that caused irreparable hurt to the bereaved family," adding, "We deeply reflect on not having carefully considered the bereaved family's position. We feel the company's responsibility heavily and will conduct a thorough review of our internal systems to prevent a recurrence."
He added, "We cannot fathom the deep sorrow and pain of the bereaved family, but we will be meticulous and prudent in every step of the company's response," and "We will make every possible effort and provide all possible support so that the bereaved family can find even a small measure of comfort."
Kang's statement followed allegations that a worker in his 20s at London Bagel Museum died after being subjected to ultra-long hours of 80 hours a week. Based on a schedule sheet and KakaoTalk chat logs, it was estimated that, right before the death, the deceased worked an average of 13 hours a day to open the Incheon branch, and signs were found that meals were skipped due to insufficient break time. The bereaved family said the company is not providing records to prove the working hours.
In response, LBM said in a statement on the 28th that "the claim of working 80 hours a week is simply unacceptable."