Yazılar

Samsung Electronics Union Approves 5.1% Wage Increase

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Samsung Electronics’ main union in South Korea has approved a 5.1% wage increase for 2024, finalizing a deal reached last month between the company and the National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU). The agreement, which required ratification by union members, also includes additional benefits such as company product purchase points and 30 Samsung Electronics shares per employee.

The NSEU, representing approximately 36,000 members—around 30% of Samsung’s South Korean workforce—has previously engaged in strikes to demand better pay and working conditions. However, Samsung maintained that production remained unaffected during the disputes.

This resolution comes as Samsung Electronics faces intensified competition in the semiconductor market, particularly in AI-related memory chip production. The deal helps stabilize labor relations at a crucial time for the world’s largest memory chipmaker as it seeks to strengthen its position in the industry.

South Korea’s Spy Agency Raises Concerns Over DeepSeek’s Data Practices

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South Korea’s National Intelligence Service (NIS) has raised alarms about the Chinese AI application DeepSeek, accusing it of “excessively” collecting personal data. The NIS claims that the app uses all user input to train itself and has questioned how it handles sensitive national issues, such as the origin of kimchi.

The NIS issued an official notice last week to government agencies, urging them to take extra security precautions due to concerns over DeepSeek’s data collection practices. According to the spy agency, unlike other AI services, DeepSeek records chat histories and captures keyboard input patterns that can identify individuals. It also communicates with Chinese servers, such as volceapplog.com, which raises privacy concerns.

Several South Korean government ministries have already blocked access to DeepSeek, following the lead of Australia and Taiwan, which have also placed restrictions or issued warnings about the app. The NIS also alleged that DeepSeek provides advertisers with unrestricted access to user data and stores South Korean users’ information on servers in China. Under Chinese law, the Chinese government could request access to this data.

The app has also been criticized for providing conflicting responses to sensitive questions based on the language in which they are asked. For instance, when asked about the origin of kimchi, DeepSeek claimed the dish was Korean when the question was posed in Korean, but said it originated in China when asked in Chinese. This issue has been a source of tension between South Korea and China in recent years.

DeepSeek has also faced accusations of censoring politically sensitive topics, such as the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. In response to questions about this, the app allegedly suggests users “Let’s talk about something else.”

DeepSeek did not respond to requests for comment. A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, when asked about South Korea’s actions, emphasized China’s commitment to data privacy and security, stating that the Chinese government ensures data protection in accordance with the law.

South Korean Prosecutors to Appeal Ruling in Samsung Chief’s Case

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South Korean prosecutors have announced plans to appeal to the Supreme Court following an appeals court’s ruling that found Samsung Electronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee not guilty of charges related to a 2015 merger. The case revolves around an $8 billion merger between two Samsung affiliates, which prosecutors argued was designed to solidify Lee’s control over the tech giant. However, the Seoul High Court ruled on February 3 that all charges should be dismissed, stating that the merger did not cause financial harm to minority shareholders.

Lee, who has long been entangled in legal challenges, including those stemming from this merger, denied any wrongdoing, asserting that he never intended to deceive investors for personal gain. The decision follows a history of legal troubles for Lee, including his 18-month imprisonment on bribery charges in connection with a scandal that led to the 2017 impeachment of then-President Park Geun-hye.

Despite the favorable ruling, Lee continues to face ongoing legal risks as Samsung deals with increasing competition and sluggish stock performance. Samsung has declined to comment on the recent developments.