Prosecution Seeks Prison Sentences Again in 2nd Trial for Former and Current Samsung Group Executives Over 'Union Busting'

Lee Sang-hoon, Chairman of the Board of Samsung Electronics Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Seongpil Cho] The prosecution has requested prison sentences again in the appellate trial for former and current executives of Samsung Group subsidiaries who were indicted on suspicion of union-busting at Samsung Electronics Service.

On the 15th, at the sentencing hearing held before the Criminal Division 3 of the Seoul High Court (Presiding Judge Joonhyun Bae), the prosecution asked for a 4-year prison sentence each for Lee Sang-hoon, former chairman of the Samsung Electronics board, and Kang Kyung-hoon, vice president of Samsung Electronics.

Park Sang-beom, former CEO of Samsung Electronics Service, was requested to be sentenced to 5 years in prison, while Mok Jang-gyun, former executive director of Samsung Electronics, and Choi Pyung-seok, former executive director of Samsung Electronics Service, were each requested to receive 4 years. The prosecution also sought prison sentences for other former and current Samsung Group executives according to their degree of involvement.

The prosecution emphasized, "This case occurred at Samsung, a leading company in our country, and has a significant impact on the social perception of domestic corporate culture and collective labor-management relations."

They added, "Strict judicial judgment is necessary for the defendants to ensure that such anti-constitutional and organized union-busting crimes never recur," urging severe punishment.

Lee, the former chairman, and other Samsung Electronics executives were indicted on charges of violating the Labor Union Act for establishing a union at the subsidiary Samsung Electronics Service in 2013 and implementing a union-busting strategy known as the 'greenification operation' at the group level.

The first trial found most of the charges, including union-busting, guilty, sentencing former chairman Lee Sang-hoon, former CEO Park Sang-beom, and vice president Kang Kyung-hoon to 1 year and 6 months in prison and ordering their detention in court. Former executive directors Choi Pyung-seok (1 year and 2 months) and Mok Jang-gyun (1 year) also received prison sentences.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.