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South Korean manager asks staff to call boss before family in event of plane crash: ‘Contact me before mum and dad’
The coffee chain and the franchise owner issued separate apology letters following a backlash after the South Korean manager's remarks.
A renowned coffee chain in South Korea is facing the wrath of social media users after a manager in one of its outlets allegedly told the part-time workers to contact the office first in case of a plane crash rather than their families. This came after a Jeju Air flight from Bangkok to South Korea crashed after landing, killing 179 people.
What did the manager say?
According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), an intern posted about the incident on social media. “Did you see the plane explosion today? There are some people going overseas during the holiday. If a crash happens, send me a message saying ‘hire an intern’ first before contacting mum and dad. Do not be absent,” the person wrote, claiming that was what the manager had said to the part-time workers.
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Social media is angry:
According to the outlet, an individual wrote, “Is this person even human? Making such remarks right after a national tragedy?” Another added, “The manager’s brain must be broken. They have clearly given up on being a decent human being.” A third expressed, “Please do not support Gong Cha by spending your money there. Is this really something you should say to a part-time worker? As an adult, don’t you feel ashamed? This is so heartless.”
The official statement:
Following the backlash on social media, the coffee chain Gong Cha Korea issued an official statement apologising and claiming that strict action had been taken against the individual for the remark.
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“The investigation revealed that the incident was due to the inappropriate personal actions of a franchise manager,” the statement said. “We are seriously addressing this issue and taking appropriate measures against the staff involved. To prevent such incidents in the future, we are strengthening our internal management systems and developing improvement measures.”
“Handwritten apology letter”
Further, the shopowner also issued an apology in a handwritten letter. “This entire situation arose from my negligence as the branch owner, and I will deeply reflect and strive to thoroughly improve store operations and staff training to prevent recurrence,” read the letter. “We sincerely seek forgiveness from all those who were hurt by this incident and will do our utmost to regain the trust of our customers,” it further read.
