The Blue House says it hopes Samsung Electronics will avoid a strike, and that it is not yet at the stage of deciding on emergency arbitration

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[Financial News] The Blue House said on the 15th, in response to the Samsung Electronics labor union's warning of a general strike, that it hopes "no situation such as a strike will arise, because Samsung Electronics accounts for a large share of the national economy, and that labor and management will reach a smooth agreement."
At a briefing at the Chunchugwan Press Center at the Blue House, Kyuyoun Lee, Senior Presidential Secretary for Public Relations and Communications, said that when asked whether the government was considering invoking emergency arbitration if the Samsung Electronics union launches a general strike, "it is not yet at a stage where a decision can be made."
Lee stressed, "We are not simply watching from the sidelines. Samsung Electronics has an enormous role and share in the national economy. One in 10 people is said to hold Samsung Electronics shares directly or indirectly, and the company is also known to have around 1,700 partner firms. We are looking at this with considerable concern and worry."
He added, "However, that does not mean we can immediately conclude that emergency arbitration will be invoked." He continued, "The Minister of Trade and Industry said yesterday that invoking emergency arbitration would be unavoidable, but I think he was speaking in his capacity as minister." Kim Jung-kwan, Minister of Trade and Industry, had said the previous day on X that if the Samsung Electronics union goes ahead with the general strike planned for the 21st, emergency arbitration would be unavoidable.
Lee also said, "We were asked whether the minister's remarks were made without coordination with the Blue House, but that is not the case." He added, "Each ministry is carrying out its own role, whether it is the Ministry of Economy and Finance, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, or MOEL."
Meanwhile, if the government invokes emergency arbitration, the union must suspend all industrial action for 30 days. The labor minister may exercise this authority when industrial action is likely to seriously harm the national economy.
cjk@fnnews.com Choi Jong-geun Reporter