‘Samsung officials not involved in anti-union schemes'
By Kim Rahn
Prosecutors have decided not to bring charges against Samsung Group executives, including Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Kun-hee, who had been accused of blocking Samsung workers from establishing labor unions.
The Seoul Central Prosecutors' Office said Tuesday that it cleared Lee and the group's strategy office head Choi Gee-sung of allegations they had violated the country's Labor Law, citing a lack of evidence.
The accusations came to light in October 2013 when Rep. Sim Sang-jung of the minor opposition Justice Party disclosed a 150-page document detailing the group's anti-labor activities.
It read: "In case of attempts to establish labor unions, the group's labor-related departments and each affiliate's personnel affairs departments should cooperate to deter the moves as early as possible," adding, "If the early collapse fails, they should make the unions wither through a long-term strategy."
Samsung has long kept a stance not to support labor unions.
Following the disclosure, some civic groups and the Lawyers for a Democratic Society filed a complaint with the prosecution against Lee and Choi, claiming the group carried out systematic tactics to block any moves to form labor unions.
Prosecutors, however, said they could not find evidence showing that Samsung affiliates committed unfair labor practices.
"Sim, who disclosed the 150-page document, did not tell us where she obtained it; Samsung officials said the group did not make the document," a prosecutor said.
"Making such a document itself is not a crime. We can't say the group systematically committed unfair labor practices unless the source of the document is found."
Prosecutors did, however, find unfair practices at one affiliate, Samsung Everland, which changed its name to Cheil Industries last year. They subsequently asked a court to hand down between 5 million and 10 million won in fines to four executives there.
In 2011, when four Everland employees established Samsung's first labor union, the company allegedly blocked them from distributing leaflets to other workers.
The firm also slandered the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), an umbrella labor union that helped establish the Samsung union.
The prosecution said it was also a common labor practice of the company to take disciplinary action against employees who were union members claiming a dereliction of duties, adding the real reason for the penalties was in fact their labor activities.
By Kim Rahn
Prosecutors have decided not to bring charges against Samsung Group executives, including Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Kun-hee, who had been accused of blocking Samsung workers from establishing labor unions.
The Seoul Central Prosecutors' Office said Tuesday that it cleared Lee and the group's strategy office head Choi Gee-sung of allegations they had violated the country's Labor Law, citing a lack of evidence.
The accusations came to light in October 2013 when Rep. Sim Sang-jung of the minor opposition Justice Party disclosed a 150-page document detailing the group's anti-labor activities.
It read: "In case of attempts to establish labor unions, the group's labor-related departments and each affiliate's personnel affairs departments should cooperate to deter the moves as early as possible," adding, "If the early collapse fails, they should make the unions wither through a long-term strategy."
Samsung has long kept a stance not to support labor unions.
Following the disclosure, some civic groups and the Lawyers for a Democratic Society filed a complaint with the prosecution against Lee and Choi, claiming the group carried out systematic tactics to block any moves to form labor unions.
Prosecutors, however, said they could not find evidence showing that Samsung affiliates committed unfair labor practices.
"Sim, who disclosed the 150-page document, did not tell us where she obtained it; Samsung officials said the group did not make the document," a prosecutor said.
"Making such a document itself is not a crime. We can't say the group systematically committed unfair labor practices unless the source of the document is found."
Prosecutors did, however, find unfair practices at one affiliate, Samsung Everland, which changed its name to Cheil Industries last year. They subsequently asked a court to hand down between 5 million and 10 million won in fines to four executives there.
In 2011, when four Everland employees established Samsung's first labor union, the company allegedly blocked them from distributing leaflets to other workers.
The firm also slandered the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), an umbrella labor union that helped establish the Samsung union.
The prosecution said it was also a common labor practice of the company to take disciplinary action against employees who were union members claiming a dereliction of duties, adding the real reason for the penalties was in fact their labor activities.
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