Chairman Lee Chanhee of the Compliance Committee: "Samsung Is a Company of the People... Strike Decision Requires Prudence"

Lee Chanhee, Chairman of the Samsung Compliance Committee, commented on the recent escalation of conflicts within the Samsung Electronics labor union, stating, "This is an issue that is directly or indirectly connected to many people in the country," and emphasized that the decision to strike should be made carefully.

On the afternoon of the 21st, prior to the regular meeting of the 4th Compliance Committee held at Samsung Life Seocho Tower in Seocho-gu, Seoul, Chairman Lee met with reporters and said, "There are various ways to protect workers' rights, and choosing those methods is the union's prerogative." He added, "However, Samsung is not just an ordinary private company, but is regarded as a company of the people. The labor side should also consider this carefully." He stressed that in its decision-making, Samsung Electronics must take into account the numerous stakeholders involved, such as shareholders and investors, and the fact that it is a company that attracts significant public interest.

Lee Chanhee, Chairman of the Samsung Compliance Committee, is attending the regular meeting of the Compliance Committee held on the 21st at Samsung Life Seocho Tower in Seocho-gu, Seoul, responding to questions from reporters. Photo by Kim Jinyoung

Chairman Lee also addressed the controversy surrounding the alleged creation of a blacklist by the Samsung labor union, saying, "The most important thing in labor-management relations is to reach an agreement through dialogue, so it is regrettable that there remains the possibility of this proceeding through criminal procedures." He further explained, "However, since the situation has not progressed to the stage of illegal union repression or acts of violence, we are continuing to monitor developments."

Currently, labor and management at Samsung Electronics remain in a standoff over wage negotiations, including differences regarding the abolition of the performance-based bonus cap. While management has proposed compensation exceeding the Over-Performance Incentive (OPI) cap through special rewards, the union has counter-proposed a 15% allocation of operating profit and is refusing to back down. The union has announced plans to hold a large-scale rally at the Pyeongtaek plant in Gyeonggi Province on the 23rd. Approximately 37,000 union members from the Joint Struggle Headquarters are estimated to participate in this rally.

Chairman Lee stated, "For this 4th Compliance Committee, two new members with expertise in labor-management relations have been appointed, and accordingly, the Labor Human Rights Subcommittee has been reorganized." He continued, "Going forward, we will consult with the labor-management advisory group and determine the direction of the Compliance Committee based on expert advice." The 4th Compliance Committee, launched in February, strengthened its expertise in labor-management matters by appointing Kim Kyung-Ah, an expert in labor and women's policy, and Lee Kyungmook, a specialist in corporate organization and human resources management, as new members.

Chairman Lee also commented on the recent search and seizure by prosecutors of Rainbow Robotics over allegations of insider trading. He said, "The Compliance Committee has also reviewed the matter and believes it is closer to an individual's misconduct rather than a systemic problem," adding, "We have recommended the implementation of measures to prevent a recurrence of such incidents in the future."

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