SCK Company CEO David Song, left, and Kurly CEO Sophie Kim / Korea Times files

By Park Jae-hyuk

Rep. Noh Woong-rae of the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) seeks to summon CEO David Song of SCK Company, which was formerly Starbucks Coffee Korea, and Kurly CEO Sophie Kim to the National Assembly audit next month as witnesses for the Environment & Labor Committee, the lawmaker's office said, Wednesday.

Once the committee members agree to summon them, Song will be questioned about a carcinogen detected in the coffee shop chain's giveaway picnic bags, while Kim will be asked to answer allegations that her company blacklisted some temporary workers at its logistics centers in order to fire them.

Last month, SCK recalled its Starbucks Summer Carry Bags voluntarily, after formaldehyde was detected in the giveaway items for summer 2022.

Rep. Noh had once considered summoning Vice Chairman Chung Yong-jin of Shinsegae Group, the largest shareholder of SCK, but the lawmaker eventually decided to summon Song. As a result, the SCK CEO seems likely to appear at the National Assembly audit for the third consecutive year.

"Starbucks will also be questioned about its use of single-use plastic cups," the lawmaker's aide said.

Kurly's allegation of blacklisting workers was raised by the labor ministry to prosecutors earlier this year, so Rep. Noh's office expects the ruling People Power Party (PPP) to agree to summon its CEO.

Rep. Kweon Seong-dong of the PPP, however, reportedly asked the party's lawmakers to refrain from summoning businesspeople to the National Assembly audit this year, when he was the party's floor leader earlier this month.

In addition to the CEOs of SCK and Kurly, BHC Chairman Park Hyun-jong is expected to appear at the National Assembly, because civic groups reported the fried chicken franchiser to the antitrust regulator in June for allegedly selling sunflower oil to franchisees at excessively high prices.

Namyang Dairy Products' largest shareholder, Hong Won-sik, is also likely to be summoned, as he abruptly retracted the sale of his controlling stake to Hahn & Company, sparking a legal battle with the private equity firm.

There is speculation that ruling party lawmakers may summon POSCO Group Chairman Choi Jeong-woo to blame the steelmaker for the flooding of its Pohang steel mill in North Gyeongsang Province, after Typhoon Hinnamnor swept through the region.

As lawmakers are expected to target the founders of Naver and Kakao once again this year, the two IT firms have been competing to announce measures to support small business owners.