Independent inspector on Samsung chip plants launched
Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Kwon Oh-hyun, left, delivers a letter of apology to Song Chang-ho, right, a representative of the Family Compensation Committee, over workplace-related diseases. The committee has separated from the local civic group Banolim. Samsung had agreed with the two parties to resolve the long-running issue in January this year. / Korea Time file
By Kim Yoo-chul
An independent inspector program on Samsung’s key chip plants will be operational from June, at the earliest, said a program manager, Thursday.
“Key details about the operations of the ombudsman committee will be determined next month. The team will be operational from June,” Lee Cheol-soo, head of the committee and a Seoul National University professor, said.
The committee will comprise between 60 and 70 officials including two senior members.
The move comes as Samsung Electronics’ reaction to growing calls by civic groups, including Banolim, for the need to strengthen safety measures for company workers.
Lee has appointed Lim Hyun-sul, medical college professor at Seoul’s Dongguk University and Kim Hyun-wook, a medical college professor at Catholic University in Seoul as his top aides. Both of them accepted the offer.
Lee said the committee will have two departments and five sub-committees. The first department, led by Lim, carries out the overall diagnosis. The second department, led by Kim, conducts research related to chemicals and examines system improvements.
“Leading experts in the field of industrial safety and health have been appointed after consulting a wide variety of experts, including relevant academics and institutions,” said Lee.
Samsung Electronics earlier said it will allow the committee to have full authority to check its key memory chip plants, after the global memory chip leader agreed with the civic group Banolim and another group representing the families of sick company workers to settle long-running disputes.
They have claimed that their exposure to toxic chemicals and radiation resulted in cancer and other incurable diseases.
Samsung Electronics said the company will implement recommendations from the ombudsman team, which will inspect its key chip facilities over the next three years.
All sides agreed on the head of the team.
The committee head, Lee, said the committee’s key role is to conduct a diagnosis of Samsung’s chip plants and devise a report on the results.
“Some minor details such as the location of the committee and a schedule to supervise factories will be set via communications with Samsung,” Lee said, adding that the committee will submit its improvement plans, if necessary. “We plan to focus on scientific diagnosis and objective evaluation in order to execute the agreement based on the launch of the committee.”
According to the tri-lateral agreement, the committee has the right to ask Samsung Electronics to provide files and documents with it, while the independent body also could conduct in-depth face-to-face interviews to former and current Samsung workers according to situations.
The committee will announce its analysis three months after the completion of its supervision, said Lee.
Because Samsung Electronics’ chip plants are subject to supervision due to the establishment of the committee, the company had previously refused to launch the team.
On the business front, Samsung’s key businesses are being challenged amid slowing smartphone sales and ongoing leadership transition led by Samsung Electronics Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong.
“No memory chip manufacturers let independent teams check their key details. Samsung’s decision to do so is because of its stern will to resolve long-running disputes over plants with a social consensus,” said an official.
The launch of the committee is third in a series of compensation packages issued by Samsung Electronics to sickened former workers after the company announced a 100 billion won fund for preventive measures paid to more than 100 who voluntarily requested monetary compensation from Samsung.