December 22, 2024

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[THE INVESTOR] A 54-year-old employee at GM Korea committed suicide on Jan. 5, amid an ongoing investigation by the state prosecutors into allegations that some company executives and members of its labor union were selling job openings, the police said.

According to Incheon Bupyeong Police Station, the employee, whose identity was withheld, was found in a factory of the South Korean unit of US automaker General Motors in Incheon, west of Seoul, by a colleague at around 6 a.m.

A suicide note, mentioning family and the prosecution’s investigation, is known to have been found inside the 54-year-old’s pocket. Police declined to make the note public.

Prosecutors here have been looking into allegations that some employees at the carmaker may have taken tens of millions of won in kickbacks in exchange for offering permanent job positions to contract workers.

The incumbent head of the labor union has been indicted on charges of receiving 20 million won (US$16,000) from a former employee of a GM Korea subcontractor in exchange for a permanent job position at GM Korea.

Police said they are investigating the details of the incident.

(theinvestor@heraldcorp.com)