25.10.29.Today News : London Bagel Museum overwork death scandal…Company apologizes as labor ministry launches probe

London Bagel Museum overwork death scandal…Company apologizes as labor ministry launches probe

📍Ex-workers expose harsh labor conditions amid 80-hour workweek allegations

A 20-something employee at London Bagel Museum reportedly died after working up to 80 hours a week, sparking widespread outrage and whistleblower claims from former staff. The company has issued an apology as South Korea’s Ministry of Employment and Labor begins an official investigation.

Allegations are spreading that a 20-something employee working at the ‘London Bagel Museum’ died after working excessive hours, reportedly up to 80 hours per week.

---

🔹Incident Overview
On July 16, Jeong Hyo-won, a manager at London Bagel Museum’s Incheon branch, was found dead from cardiac arrest in the company dormitory. Her family claimed she had been working over 80 hours a week to prepare for a new store opening and filed for industrial accident compensation. The company denied the overwork claim, saying Jeong’s average weekly hours were 44.1.

On October 29, the labor ministry announced an inspection into the company, including potential violations of working hours, holidays, and wage payments.

🔹Whistleblower Account: “Three-month contracts to avoid severance pay”
A former employee, identified as A, posted on social media claiming, “They made us sign three-month contracts repeatedly to avoid paying termination notice compensation.” A added that workers were terminated for minor reasons and that “even after 11 months of service, one person was dismissed simply for being sick.”

Under Korea’s Labor Standards Act, companies can dismiss employees without prior notice if they have worked less than three months—raising suspicions that short-term contracts were used to bypass this rule.

🔹“Even small mistakes led to written apologies”
The same ex-employee said that staff were forced to write apology letters for trivial errors like pressing the wrong button on the English-only POS system or forgetting to log a shopping bag. They claimed CCTV footage was used to identify and reprimand employees, saying, “The deceased worker was probably also recorded on CCTV.”

Some supervisors were also accused of verbal abuse, referring to workers by appearance rather than name and yelling at staff in public.

🔹Company Statement and Apology
LBM, the operator of London Bagel Museum, issued an apology through CEO Kang Kwan-goo, acknowledging “deep regret and apology to the bereaved family.”
The company stated that due to a fingerprint scanner malfunction, exact work-hour data couldn’t be verified but admitted workload was “unusually high” before the incident. LBM said it would fully cooperate with authorities and “guarantee no concealment or distortion.”

🔹Controversy Over Text Message to Family
An LBM executive reportedly sent a message warning the victim’s family against filing an overwork claim. The company later apologized, calling the action “deeply inappropriate.”

🔹Government Investigation Expands
The labor ministry vowed strict action if violations are found and plans to expand its inspection to other branches. The case has reignited debate over labor conditions and overwork culture in South Korea’s popular café industry.

One-line summary : Amid allegations that a 20-something employee died from overwork, ex-staff have exposed harsh conditions, the company issued an apology, and the labor ministry has launched an investigation.