The Seoul Regional Employment and Labor Office of the Ministry of Employment and Labor has referred Pernod Ricard Korea CEO Jean Touboul to the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, asking he be indicted on charges of unfair labor practice by trying to control and intervene in labor union.
According to the liquor industry source on Jan. 29, the ministry's labor office sent CEO Jean Touboul to the prosecution with a recommendation that he be indicted.
The labor office confirmed the fact after conducting a two-month special supervision on charges of unlawful labor acts and sexual harassment in Pernod Ricard Korea, which was raised during the parliamentary audit in October last year and by the case accused by the labor union against CEO Jean Touboul.
All cases of unfair labor practices and sexual harassment, including the violation of the Labor Relations Act, have been admitted to be true. The labor office has recommended disciplinary action against the offenders involved in sexual harassment cases.
However, it has been confirmed that Pernod Ricard Korea has expressed its stance that it would pay only the "nonfulfillment penalty" instead of following the labor office's recommendation.
"When the company received confirmation of unfair labor practices and recognition of sexual harassment by the general manager of business operations around mid-December, the company hurriedly pushed ahead with emergency procedures to complete the sale and restructuring, which caused rage among executives and labor union," a Pernod Ricard Korea union official said.
