Labor Minister Who Oversaw Samsung Electronics' Wage Deal Says It Was a "Growing Pains" Moment: "Samsung Should Handle Both Technology and Labor Relations in Its Own Way"

[Financial News] As Samsung Electronics' labor and management reached a dramatic agreement on the 20th, one day before the planned general strike, Kim Young-hoon, the Minister of Employment and Labor who oversaw the autonomous negotiations, said it was "in a way, growing pains" and added, "I hope Samsung will overcome this well, true to its reputation for excellence in both technology and labor relations."
At the signing ceremony for the tentative agreement on Samsung Electronics held that day at the Gyeonggi District Employment and Labor Office in Suwon, Kim said, "In the midst of unprecedented and massive change, resolving this issue through dialogue clearly showed the strength of K-democracy."
Earlier in the day, after the second post-mediation meeting between Samsung Electronics' labor and management at the National Labor Relations Commission broke down, Kim resumed negotiations by chairing autonomous talks at 4 p.m.
Kim said, "We support democracy because we believe in the power of dialogue to solve the common challenges before us," adding, "I deeply thank Samsung Electronics' labor and management for not letting go of the thread of dialogue until the end and reaching a tentative agreement through autonomous bargaining."
Kim also said, "The company found it difficult in principle to make concessions on the distribution method, and the union had its own circumstances," but added, "Both sides each gave a little, and they found a solution."
Meanwhile, as Samsung Electronics' labor and management reached a tentative agreement, the enterprise union has postponed the general strike planned for the 21st and will hold a vote among members on the tentative deal from the 22nd to the 27th.
jhyuk@fnnews.com Kim Jun-hyeok, Im Su-bin, and Jo Eun-hyo Reporter