Korean food conglomerate SPC Group said it will eliminate overtime night shifts exceeding eight hours across its manufacturing lines starting in October, following the death of a factory worker in May.
The group, which owns the well-known bakery chain Paris Baguette, said Sunday it will overhaul its production system and working arrangements by cutting overnight operations for all but essential items like fresh goods and gradually reducing daytime hours to prevent fatigue-related accidents.
The move comes after President Lee Jae Myung visited the SPC Samlip plant in Siheung, Gyeonggi Province, Friday, where he directly linked the fatal accident to “prolonged late-night labor.”
The victim, a woman in her 50s, was killed in May after being caught in machinery while applying lubricant to a conveyor belt during a night shift.
To prevent such a fatal accident, SPC vowed to hire more workers, adjust output and product mix, and reorganize factory lines.
Affiliates, including Paris Baguette, Paris Croissant, Shany and Samlip, are preparing detailed execution plans, with full implementation set for Oct. 1.
The presidential office welcomed the move.
“SPC’s announcement came just two days after (the president) questioned whether it was sustainable for employees to work four 12-hour night shifts a week, from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m., and urged Korea to become a society that values life and is willing to bear the cost of safety,” presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung told reporters in a briefing.
As part of its broader safety reform, SPC also committed to cutting the 12-hour shift system by 20 percent by 2027. It will invest 62.4 billion won ($45 million) to enhance automation, improve safety equipment and upgrade working conditions.
SPC has come under growing public scrutiny following a string of fatal workplace incidents. The total number of work-related deaths rose to six between 2022 and 2025, including three previously reported accidents and three additional fatalities linked to illness caused by overwork.
hnpark@heraldcorp.com
