Samsung on Brink of Major Strike as Union Talks Collapse Over AI Profit Sharing, Jeopardizing South Korea’s Economic Engine - Tekedia

Samsung Electronics and its largest union failed to strike a pay deal after government-mediated talks, lifting the odds of an 18-day walkout starting May 21.

The union is demanding permanent bonus reform tied to operating profit, while management has offered only a limited one-time payment.

A strike could hit key chip facilities, including the Pyeongtaek campus, and disrupt advanced memory-chip production and exports.

The standoff may also benefit rivals like SK Hynix and add pressure to global memory-chip prices and South Korea’s economy.