By Kim Se-jeong
Six employees of Hite-Jinro are being questioned over allegedly spreading malicious rumors about Cass, the country’s bestselling beer brand produced by its rival Oriental Brewery (OB), police said Thursday.
Suseo Police in southern Seoul said the six workers were booked Wednesday evening. Seven others who are not working for Hite-Jinro are also under investigation for allegedly posting false online messages about the flavor and quality of Cass. All the 13 suspects know each other, according to the police.
Officers said they are now looking into whether the firm’s management played any role in producing and spreading the rumors.
“We have not yet found any evidence showing management involvement,” one said.
In early September, investigators raided the offices of Hite-Jinro and seized computers and documents.
Cass is the top beer brand of OB, with more than half of market share in Korea.
The sale of Cass beer plummeted in summer this year as rumors circulated that the beer smelt of disinfectant, and vicious comments were posted online.
One message posted read, “Don’t drink Cass, especially bottles manufactured between June and August. If you’re pregnant, you must avoid drinking it.”
OB asked the police to investigate the rumors in early August.
Hite-Jinro dismissed speculation that the company was behind the plot.
“The company has nothing to do this incident,” said Choi Yong-woon, a company official.
An OB official refused to comment on the ongoing investigation, only saying the firm is closely monitoring the situation.
In August, the Ministry of Food and Drug Administration concluded that the substance known as trans-2 nonenal (T2N), which is created when beer is exposed to sunlight or heat, was the cause of the smell, and it was harmless to human health.
OB immediately issued a statement to apologize to its customers at the time.
“We are sorry for causing concern. We will take this as an opportunity to improve the quality of our products and our overall management system,” it said. The company vowed to spend 12 billion won ($10.8 million) solely on quality checks.
Lotte Liquor, a late comer in the beer market, was an unexpected benefactor of the whole incident. Market watchers said its beer brand Kloud gained market share faster after the rumor spread.
Domestic beer market has seen unprecedentedly high competition in recent years. Imported beers lead the competition, and local beer companies have been struggling to survive the competition.