Prosecutors raid Samsung over alleged attempt to sabotage unions

Prosecutors on Friday raided Samsung Electronics Service in an investigation into allegations that Samsung Group sabotaged the establishment of labor unions in its affiliated companies.

The Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office has recently secured thousands of pages of documents that contain details regarding the top conglomerate's attempts to hamper workers' efforts to set up labor unions. Samsung is notorious for its "no union" policy.

The files were obtained during a raid of two Samsung Electronics buildings as part of an investigation into suspicions that it paid lawsuit fees on behalf of a company allegedly owned by former President Lee Myung-bak.

The prosecution investigated Samsung's alleged anti-union maneuvers after Sim Sang-jeung, an opposition lawmaker, in 2013 disclosed the group's 2012 report containing guidelines to prevent employees from organizing labor unions and to dismantle them if they form.

Unionized workers at Samsung Everland Inc. -- now merged with Samsung C&T Corp. -- filed a complaint with the prosecution against Chairman Lee Kun-hee and other group officials.

But the prosecution dropped most charges and closed the case in 2015.

The prosecution sources said the recently secured documents from Samsung show it has continued such activities as of late. (Yonhap)