Gov’t probes London Bagel Museum on overwork allegations

A display at London Bagel Museum in Jongno District, Seoul, shows a variety of bagels and sandwiches in this undated photo. Korea Times photo by Song Ok-jin

The Ministry of Employment and Labor has launched a special inspection into London Bagel Museum, a popular bakery chain, after the death of a 26-year-old employee raised allegations of overwork and labor law violations.

The ministry said Wednesday that inspectors have begun reviewing the company’s headquarters and its Incheon branch, where the employee, identified as Jeong Hyo-won, had been working. Officials are examining working-hour records, payroll data and management practices to determine whether the Labor Standards Act was breached.

“We will review whether employees were made to work beyond legal limits and if management took proper safety measures, a ministry official said.

Jeong, who joined the company about 14 months ago, had been helping to open the Incheon store and oversee daily operations.

His family said he had been working close to 80 hours a week, often skipping meals and sleeping for only a few hours at night. He was found dead in the company dormitory in July, a day after returning from a late shift.

“The photo he took for his job interview ended up as his funeral portrait," his father said.

According to data provided by Rep. Lee Hack-young of the Climate, Energy, Environment and Labor Committee, 1,059 workers have died from cerebrovascular or cardiovascular diseases linked to overwork over the last five years, with 214 deaths reported last year alone.

Labor experts said that these figures demonstrate that long working hours remain commonplace in the retail and service industries, despite government efforts to reduce total working hours.

Labor groups said the case highlights the need for stronger inspections of franchise workplaces, where long hours are routine, stressing that stricter oversight is needed to prevent similar tragedies.