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GM Korea union executives confront GM Korea President and CEO Kaher Kazem to protest against the company’s announcement that it would not be able to pay performance-related bonuses on Apr. 5. After Kazem departed

Another GM Korea worker was found dead from an apparent suicide after requesting early retirement. The worker was the third from the company to take his life since the decision to shutter GM Korea’s plant in Gunsan, North Jeolla Province in February.

Identified by the initial “K,” the 55-year-old worker was found dead at around 4:05 pm on Apr. 6 in his vehicle, which was parked on a road near the Namdong Industrial Complex in Incheon’s Namdong (Southeast) district. The body was discovered by police officer patrolling the area.

An employee GM Korea’s Bupyeong plant, K had been with the company for 31 years before reportedly submitting a voluntary resignation application last February. Family members had reported him missing after receiving no word from him since Mar. 14, when he was filmed driving his car on a residential area closed circuit camera. No note was found in the vehicle. Based on the absence of any signs of foul play, police concluded that K took his own life and are currently looking into the precise cause of death.

K’s suicide was the third in the last month by a GM Korea employee, after another Bupyeong factory worker in his fifties on Mar. 7 and a Gunsan factory worker in his forties on Mar. 25. All had reportedly submitted applications for voluntary retirement. On Mar. 25, a Gunsan factory worker in his forties was found dead at an apartment in the North Jeolla province city. The worker, who had held a production position at the plant for over 20 years, had received final approval for early retirement in late May after the decision to shutter the Gunsan factory.

On Mar. 7, a GM Korea worker in his fifties hanged himself at a park in Incheon’s Yeonsu district. He had been employed at GM Korea’s Bupyeong plant for over 30 years since 1987 before reportedly applying for voluntary resignation last month.

Members of the GM Korea branch of the Korean Metal Workers Union demonstrate outside GM Korea’s Bupyeong factory in Incheon to protest against the company’s restructuring plans on Apr. 6. (provided by GM Korea union)

By Song In-geol, staff reporter

Please direct questions or comments to [english@hani.co.kr]