Bo-eun leads the digital content team. She has covered foreign affairs, North Korea, tech, economy and gender issues at The Korea Times. She did a short stint at the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong, where she obtained a new perspective on news production and life. Small sources of joy for her are lounging in the sun, having a good latte and swimming.
LG Group chairman's aunts to sell-off cleaning service firm
LG Group's headquarters on Yeouido, Seoul / Korea Times file
By Kim Bo-eun
By Kim Bo-eun
LG Group said Friday that two aunts of Chairman Koo Kwang-mo will sell a cleaning service firm they own after a controversy brewed over the dismissal of the company's workers.
The cleaning service firm Jisu Inc is owned by the late LG Group Honorary Chairman Koo Cha-kyung's two daughters, who each hold 50 percent of its shares. The company is not affiliated with LG.
LG stated the owners will sell the firm, to settle a controversy over LG prioritizing the company in outsourcing cleaning services.
"The owners will seek to swiftly sell the company to another that will be able to offer quality services to client firms and stable employment to workers," LG said in a statement.
LG Group's affiliate S&I corporation which manages LG's headquarters on Yeouido, Seoul, decided to terminate its contract with Jisu Inc last year; and workers for the latter were dismissed as of Dec. 31.
S&I stated the contract was terminated because of the poor quality of the services offered by the workers. It also said Jisu Inc's workers demanded that their retirement age be extended, a request the company would not accept.
A new cleaning service firm replaced Jisu Inc, whose workers went on strike Dec. 16, after the company stated it could not guarantee their employment. The workers have continued a sit-in protest at LG's headquarters.
LG said Jisu Inc will be sold under the condition that its 2,900 workers are guaranteed employment. S&I stated employment will separately be guaranteed for the 25 workers who took part in the protest. The company said this would not affect the employment of workers of other firms that are providing cleaning services at LG's headquarters.
S&I and Jisu INC held a meeting with the labor ministry Tuesday, and submitted a plan to ensure that the 25 workers are able to work at a different company, and that four workers that are aged 65 and above will receive another form of compensation.
The union of the workers, however, rejected the offer, claiming the split up of workers would disintegrate the union. The union has stated this was the reason S&I decided to terminate its contract with Jisu Inc.
The issue drew attention after lawmakers of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea and minor opposition Justice Party visited the site and urged LG to protect the rights of the workers.
Civic groups denounced LG after the conglomerate prevented food from being taken into the building were the protest was taking place and shut off electricity and heating, Jan. 1. LG stopped doing this the following day.