Samsung Electronics labor union sparks backlash by releasing details of closed-door mediation meeting with the Central Labor Commission

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[Financial News] Samsung Electronics labor union has triggered controversy after releasing a transcript of a previous mediation meeting with the Central Labor Commission. The meeting had been closed to the public, and it is unclear whether the other mediator agreed to the recording.
On the 15th, Seung-ho Choi, chairman of the Samsung Group Enterprise Labor Union Samsung Electronics Branch, released an audio file in an anonymous chat room that recorded the meeting with the Central Labor Commission on the 12th.
The transcript contained a conversation between a Central Labor Commission official and Choi. In the recording, Choi complained about Vice President Kim Hyung-ro, the company's lead bargaining representative, saying, "He does not know anything about semiconductors and is lying about the scale of our performance." He argued that Samsung Electronics is expected to post 300 trillion won in annual operating profit this year, and that it is unfair for the company to describe it as 200 trillion won. Choi then asked, "Is it normal to say it may not even reach 200 trillion won?" and added, "Why come all the way here and lie?"
A mediator from the Central Labor Commission tried to calm him, saying, "We need to identify where both labor and management can narrow the gap." But Choi remained firm, saying, "We have kept explaining, and a mediation proposal should be enough. But when they said they hoped labor and management would reach an agreement, we met them, only to hear again about special bonuses tied to 10% of operating profit. Is that normal?" He added, "I have no intention of talking with the company any further, so give us a mediation proposal."
However, because the Central Labor Commission conducts post-mediation meetings behind closed doors, the release of the recording has drawn criticism that it could undermine trust in the mediator. It has also not been confirmed whether the other mediator consented to the recording. If the recording was made and released without consent, it could lead to a broader controversy over ethics.
The post-mediation meeting continued until the early hours of the 13th, well past midnight on the second day, but it ended after the union declared the mediation had broken down. The union said the talks collapsed because none of its long-standing demands, including the abolition, transparency and institutionalization of limits on performance bonuses, were accepted, and that the outcome was actually a step backward.
The union said it will proceed with the planned strike starting on the 21st, as a notice sent by the company that day amounted to little more than a reaffirmation of its existing position. Choi said, "We are willing to negotiate after June 7," and added, "We plan to fully exercise our constitutionally guaranteed rights."
one1@fnnews.com Jung Won-il Reporter