E-mart, the biggest supermarket chain under Korea’s retail giant Shinsegae, is being accused of carrying out a disciplinary measure on an employee for wearing a badge urging President Park Geun-hye’s resignation.

E-mart’s Pohang Idong branch in Northern Gyeongsang Province allegedly informed a cashier that “any forms of disadvantage would be her responsibility to take” for wearing a badge expressing her political opinion, the E-mart Labor Union reported on its Facebook page Saturday.

“My boss told me that wearing a badge during working hours breaches the employment regulation after I began wearing it from last Friday,” said an employee surnamed Park at the Pohang Idong branch.

“I asked for confirmation (of such a regulation), then he said he would report my disobedience to the headquarters, saying all following disadvantages would be mine to take.”

As the issue went viral, the Pohang Idong branch reportedly denied the allegation, yet said that there are concerns as to whether a private voice could be deemed as E-mart’s official opinion on recent political affairs.

Meanwhile, similar issues over putting on the badges popped up at other E-mart branches, according to Kim Sung-hoon, a director of E-mart Labor Union in the Pohang region.

“Some employees at other E-mart branches were told to remove the badges, but this is the first case reported in which the employee was warned with disciplinary measures,” said Kim.

By Song Ji-won (jiwon.song@heraldcorp.com)