Samsung Super-Enterprise Union Collects Signatures for Leniency Petition for Chairman Accused of 'Blacklist Compilation' with Union Funds

Unauthorized Access to Internal Network...
Creation of "Blacklist"

About 20 Million Won Allocated for Electronic Signature Service

The Samsung Group Super-Enterprise Labor Union Samsung Chapter (hereinafter referred to as the "Super-Enterprise Union"), the largest labor union at Samsung Electronics, has begun collecting signatures for a petition seeking leniency for Chairman Choi Seungho and others who have been referred to the prosecution on charges of compiling a "union blacklist" using union funds.

Yonhap News Agency

According to Yonhap News Agency on September 16, starting at 8 a.m., the Super-Enterprise Union began collecting signatures on a petition for leniency for six individuals, including Chairman Choi and those accused of unauthorized access to the internal network, allegedly involved in compiling a "union blacklist" targeting employees in the Device Solutions (DS) division of Samsung Electronics, which is responsible for the company’s semiconductor business.

The Super-Enterprise Union is reportedly moving forward with the petition based on Article 14, "Protection of Status," in its rules. This article provides that if a union member suffers disadvantages in terms of employment status or assets while carrying out decisions of union bodies or engaging in legitimate union activities, their status will be protected and damages compensated.

The union reportedly aims to collect approximately 30,000 signatures and has budgeted about 20 million won for an online electronic signature service as part of this process.

Previously, Chairman Choi and others were accused of using the personal information of other employees around March—when a general strike became a reality due to the approval of industrial action by the Super-Enterprise Union and others—to create a blacklist detailing union membership status. During this process, a person identified as "A," who is responsible for internal systems, is believed to have obtained a file listing more than 100,000 employees and delivered it to the union through improper means and methods.

A police official told Yonhap News Agency, "Except for the fact that six people were referred on charges of violating the Personal Information Protection Act, we cannot confirm whether certain individuals were involved," adding, "The cases of mass collection of personal information via the internal system (two people) and unauthorized access incidents within the company system (four people) are unrelated incidents."

The Super-Enterprise Union’s current electronic signature campaign is also being interpreted as a response to a similar petition led by the Samsung Electronics Labor Union Donghaeng (hereinafter referred to as the "Donghaeng Union"), which is centered around the Device eXperience (DX) division and has gathered over 15,000 signatures demanding severe punishment for the same case.

The Donghaeng Union is calling for severe punishment in response to a list containing employees’ department names, full names, employee numbers, and union membership status being shared internally, and is also demanding that the company investigate how the incident occurred and establish measures to prevent recurrence.

Meanwhile, the Donghaeng Union is planning to hold a rally near the residence of Chairman Lee Jae-yong of Samsung Electronics in Hannam-dong, Yongsan-gu, Seoul, at 6 p.m. on September 18.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.