Samsung officially apologizes to victims of work-related diseases
- 5 years ago
삼성, ‘반도체 백혈병’ 공식 사과...11년만에 사태 종지부
Samsung Electronics delivered an official apology to its employees who suffered from illnesses contracted while working with hazardous substances.
The tech giant also promised to provide compensations and unveiled measures to protect the health of laborers.
Yoon Jung-min has our top story.
Samsung Electronics formally apologized on Friday to those who fell victim to work-related illnesses at its semiconductor and display production lines.
The tech giant's President and co-CEO Kim Ki-nam expressed deep remorse, regarding the workers who contracted leukemia while working at Samsung's factories.
"Samsung Electronics did not sufficiently and thoroughly manage potential health risks at our chip and liquid-crystal display production lines. Today, we wish to express our sincere apology to those who suffered from illnesses and their families."
The president added the company will redouble efforts to settle the compensation issue by 2028, while donating some 44-point-3 million U.S. dollars to the country's work safety watchdog to protect the health of its laborers.
Those eligible for compensation include current and former employees who have worked for more than a year... at one of the company's semiconductor and LCD production lines in Giheung, south of Seoul,... since May 1984 when the plant was established.
The scandal first emerged back in 2007,... after a worker at Samsung's chip fabrication plant died of leukemia.
The father of the victim, Hwang Sang-gi, who has been representing the victims,... said he would accept Samsung's apology.
He also called for more public awareness regarding work-related illnesses and strengthened regulations on worker protection.
"Compensation is important, but what's more important is prevention. We need to strengthen work safety laws to ensure that workers and others know what kind of substances they are handling and give them the right to know and the right to participate."
Meanwhile, the labor ministry and lawmakers said... Korean society should reflect on the issue and make further efforts to improve workers' health and safety.
Yoon Jung-min, Arirang News.
Samsung Electronics delivered an official apology to its employees who suffered from illnesses contracted while working with hazardous substances.
The tech giant also promised to provide compensations and unveiled measures to protect the health of laborers.
Yoon Jung-min has our top story.
Samsung Electronics formally apologized on Friday to those who fell victim to work-related illnesses at its semiconductor and display production lines.
The tech giant's President and co-CEO Kim Ki-nam expressed deep remorse, regarding the workers who contracted leukemia while working at Samsung's factories.
"Samsung Electronics did not sufficiently and thoroughly manage potential health risks at our chip and liquid-crystal display production lines. Today, we wish to express our sincere apology to those who suffered from illnesses and their families."
The president added the company will redouble efforts to settle the compensation issue by 2028, while donating some 44-point-3 million U.S. dollars to the country's work safety watchdog to protect the health of its laborers.
Those eligible for compensation include current and former employees who have worked for more than a year... at one of the company's semiconductor and LCD production lines in Giheung, south of Seoul,... since May 1984 when the plant was established.
The scandal first emerged back in 2007,... after a worker at Samsung's chip fabrication plant died of leukemia.
The father of the victim, Hwang Sang-gi, who has been representing the victims,... said he would accept Samsung's apology.
He also called for more public awareness regarding work-related illnesses and strengthened regulations on worker protection.
"Compensation is important, but what's more important is prevention. We need to strengthen work safety laws to ensure that workers and others know what kind of substances they are handling and give them the right to know and the right to participate."
Meanwhile, the labor ministry and lawmakers said... Korean society should reflect on the issue and make further efforts to improve workers' health and safety.
Yoon Jung-min, Arirang News.