When was the application for a sixth Samsung Electronics labor union filed, and what is known about its organization?

The application was filed with the labor ministry on Wednesday, the day before labor officials spoke on Thursday. The proposed union’s organizational structure and scope of activities had not yet been confirmed.

Samsung Electronics faces push for sixth labor union amid alleged internal rifts

Q: Who is pursuing the formation of a sixth Samsung Electronics labor union, and which workers is it expected to represent?

The effort is being pursued by former and current leaders of the second-largest Samsung Electronics union. The proposed union is expected to focus on employees in the Device Experience division, which oversees the company’s consumer electronics and mobile device businesses.

Q: Why did a labor official say a separate Samsung Electronics union may be forming?

A labor official said disputes between the former and current leadership of the second-largest union had intensified, possibly prompting efforts to establish a separate group. The union denied that the planned launch was connected to internal disputes.

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Summary

A sixth labor union is being formed at Samsung Electronics after an application was filed with the labor ministry on Wednesday. The proposed union is being pursued by former and current leaders of the second-largest union, which represents workers in the Device Experience division. A labor official said disputes between that union’s former and current leadership had intensified, but the union denied that the planned launch was connected to internal disputes. The new union is expected to focus on Device Experience employees, though its structure and activities remain unconfirmed.

Key Facts

The application to establish the union was filed with the labor ministry the day before officials spoke on Thursday.
Samsung Electronics’ largest union has a membership largely comprising employees in the semiconductor division.
The Device Experience division oversees Samsung Electronics’ consumer electronics and mobile device businesses.
The second-largest union denied that internal disputes prompted the planned launch of a separate union.

By Yonhap

Published Nov 5, 2026 3:30 pm KST

Samsung Electronics' headquarters can be seen in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, Oct. 29. Yonhap

A sixth labor union is being formed at Samsung Electronics, labor officials said Thursday, following reported internal divisions among existing union members.

According to the tech giant's largest labor union, which has a membership largely comprising employees in the company's lucrative semiconductor division, an application to establish a union was filed with the labor ministry the previous day.

The largest union said the proposed union is being pursued by former and current leaders of the second-largest union representing workers in the device experience division, which oversees its consumer electronics and mobile device businesses.

A labor official, who asked not to be named, said internal disputes between the smaller union's former and current leadership had intensified, possibly prompting efforts to establish a separate group.

The smaller union, however, denied the allegations, saying the planned launch of the sixth union has no connection to internal disputes.

The proposed union is expected to focus on employees in the device experience division, although its organizational structure and scope of activities have yet to be confirmed.

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