Tens of thousands of Samsung Electronics workers staged a major protest in South Korea on Thursday, demanding higher wages and better bonuses amid record profits driven by surging global demand for memory chips used in artificial intelligence technologies.
The demonstration, held at the company’s semiconductor complex in Pyeongtaek, drew an estimated 40,000 participants, making it the largest labor rally in Samsung’s history, according to union organizers. Protesters carried banners and chanted slogans calling for transparent compensation and the removal of caps on annual bonuses.
Union representatives said the walkout reflects widespread frustration among employees, who argue that their pay has not kept pace with the company’s financial success. Samsung projected operating profits of 57.2 trillion won for the first quarter, a record high fueled by the AI-driven memory chip boom.
The labor coalition, representing more than 70% of Samsung’s workforce in South Korea—approximately 90,000 workers—has outlined three core demands: a minimum 7% wage increase, the elimination of annual bonus caps, and improvements to social welfare and employee benefits.
Union officials warned that if management fails to respond to their demands, workers will escalate to a full-scale strike beginning May 21 and lasting until June 7, 2026. Such an action could disrupt global production of AI-critical memory chips, potentially affecting supply chains and prices worldwide.
The protest underscores growing tensions between South Korea’s powerful conglomerates and their workforce, particularly as companies like Samsung benefit from technological booms while employees seek a larger share of the gains.
