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McDonald's logo. (Photo=McDonalds) |
[Alpha Biz= Reporter Kim Joonhyun] A tragic incident has drawn public concern in South Korea, as a man in his 40s who worked at a McDonald’s branch in Seoul’s Dongjak District is believed to have taken his own life after allegedly suffering from workplace harassment.
According to industry sources on June 16, the employee, identified as Mr. A, died after jumping from a building in Dongjak-gu around 6 p.m. on June 13. He was rushed to the hospital but was later pronounced dead.
Printed documents found at the scene reportedly contained messages expressing severe psychological distress. Phrases such as “My mind is so broken I can’t even think about getting another job” and “I feel overwhelmingly depressed and anxious” were said to reflect his deteriorating mental state.
The police have launched an investigation into the possibility of workplace harassment contributing to the employee’s death.
In response, McDonald’s Korea stated it is cooperating fully with law enforcement authorities but declined to comment further due to the ongoing nature of the investigation. A company spokesperson told AlphaBiz, “We are actively cooperating with the police. As the investigation is still in progress, we are unable to disclose specific details at this time.”
The incident comes at a sensitive time for McDonald’s Korea, which reported record-high revenue and returned to operating profit last year for the first time in eight years. However, the tragedy is expected to spark public debate over the company’s workplace ethics and responsibility.
Should the investigation confirm allegations of workplace bullying, the company may face significant reputational damage.
Alphabiz 이준현 기자(wtcloud83@alphabiz.co.kr)
