Blue House policy chief says Samsung strike talks not at breaking point

Kim Yong-bum, the Blue House policy chief, said April 23 (local time) that he hoped talks would resolve the possibility of a strike by Samsung Electronics’ labor union.
 
Speaking at a press center briefing in Hanoi, Kim was asked whether the government could step in to mediate if Samsung workers strike.
 
“I hope it will be resolved wisely through dialogue,” he said.
 
Kim added that he did not yet see it as a special problem, saying labor and management were “not at the stage of heading to extremes” and that he expected the issue to be settled.
 
Asked whether President Lee had been briefed, Kim said he had reviewed what was reported at a meeting, but that the president did not separately comment on it.
 
Earlier, the Samsung Electronics union held a rally of about 40,000 people demanding the abolition of a cap on performance bonuses and warned of a general strike.
 
Kim also addressed the recent death of a union member at a rally by the Cargo Truckers Solidarity, saying he was concerned and was looking into it. He said it was “a great relief” that the Labor Ministry was communicating with the site.