President Lee Jae-myung said Tuesday that "labor must be respected as much as business, and corporate management rights must be respected as much as labor rights." The remarks are interpreted as targeting the Samsung Electronics labor union, which has announced a general strike for the 21st. The union is currently demanding the abolition of the performance bonus cap, set at 50% of annual salary, along with institutionalizing the payment of 15% of operating profit as the source of performance bonuses.
President Lee made the statement on X (formerly Twitter), citing the phrase "Going too far is as bad as not going far enough; when things reach an extreme, they reverse." He said, "Workers must be able to receive fair compensation for their labor, and shareholders who invest while bearing risks and losses are entitled to a share of corporate profits." The remarks are read as suggesting that excessive demands beyond fair compensation for labor are not appropriate.
He further stated, "Under the current Constitution, the basic rights of all citizens are guaranteed, but they may be restricted for the public welfare and other reasons within the scope that does not infringe on essential content." This was seen as hinting at the invocation of emergency arbitration rights if labor-management negotiations break down. He also urged, "Being powerful does not mean having more and being happier. A world where people unite, take responsibility, and all live well together is the future of a new Korea."
Meanwhile, the Suwon District Court partially granted Samsung Electronics' injunction request against the union to prohibit illegal industrial action on the same day. The court ruled to the effect that "safety, security, and work to prevent wafer deterioration must be maintained at normal levels." If the union violates the court's decision, the union must pay the company 100 million won per day of violation, and executives including Choi Seung-ho, chairman of the Samsung Super Corporate Union, must each pay 10 million won per day.
While observers say a new variable has emerged in the labor-management negotiation structure, the union's position is that "there is no major problem with industrial action," noting that the ruling did not block the strike itself. Amid concerns, six economic organizations called for the withdrawal of the general strike and urged the government to respond actively.
Separately, Samsung Electronics' labor and management entered their second post-mediation session at the National Labor Relations Commission (NLRC) on the same day. Given the importance of the negotiations, NLRC Chairman Park Soo-keun personally participated as a mediator, and Chairman Choi also kept the door open for dialogue, saying, "I will engage sincerely with the goal of reaching a settlement." The mediation that day ended 40 minutes earlier than originally scheduled. The NLRC also announced an additional post-mediation session for 10 a.m. on the 19th, holding onto the possibility of an agreement.
