Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix are facing calls from locally hired employees in China to raise performance bonuses, and the issue has drawn a wave of reaction online in South Korea.
Newdaily reported on the 6th, citing multiple industry sources, that Chinese employees at Samsung Electronics’ semiconductor plant in Xi’an and SK Hynix’s semiconductor plant in Wuxi are pressing for higher bonuses.
An industry source quoted by Newdaily said local hires at overseas units “know how much people at headquarters receive” and are “making a fuss” for more, adding that portals such as China’s Baidu have been carrying news about Samsung Electronics’ and SK Hynix’s results and bonus payouts.
On whether bonuses for local hires in China would be raised, Newdaily also quoted an SK Hynix official as saying the company operates its bonus system “to fit the characteristics of each country.”
According to Newdaily, SK Hynix is aware of the demands. The Wuxi plant is described as a key base that produces about half of the company’s D-RAM output, and SK Hynix’s workforce in China is reported to total at least 4,000 people.
South Korean internet users who saw the report posted largely negative comments, including: “It’s chaos everywhere,” “Things are turning into a mess in no time because of the Yellow Envelope Act,” “People who say subcontractors should get bonuses must think China should get handouts, too,” “They’re making a racket at home and abroad,” “Did they give back pay when the industry was bad? Investors take that risk, so I get it,” and “Looks like they want to jump in globally for a share.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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