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• Samsung Medison doubles down on ultrasound Attendees tour a new ultrasound manufacturing facility at Samsung Medison's Hongcheon plant in Gangwon Province on Nov. 13. Courtesy of Samsung Electronics SEOUL, November 13 (AJP) - Samsung Medison is doubling down on the global ultrasound market, opening a new manufacturing facility in South Korea as it aims to double production capacity by 2030 and break into the industry's top three. The medical equipment maker, a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics, said Friday it had completed a 50 billion won ($34 million) expansion at its Hongcheon plant in Gangwon Province, its largest since Samsung acquired the company in 2011. The new facility spans 14,548 square meters and will expand production of premium ultrasound systems, including the HERA Z20 and R20. The Hongcheon plant serves as Samsung Medison's main export hub, producing all ultrasound equipment shipped to more than 110 countries. Overseas sales account for over 90 percent of the company's revenue. The expansion comes as Samsung Medison outpaces the broader ultrasound market. Its revenue grew 16.2 percent last year, compared with global market growth of 3.7 percent, according to the company. Samsung Medison expects revenue to grow at roughly three times the projected 4 percent global market growth rate this year, supported by demand for premium ultrasound systems incorporating AI-assisted diagnostic features. The new facility also incorporates automated production processes and energy-efficient equipment to improve manufacturing productivity. Samsung Medison has expanded its international footprint with equipment supplied to major U.S. hospitals, including Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic, as it pursues a position among the world's top three ultrasound manufacturers.
• Samsung Biologics Union Leader Charged with Trade Secret Theft The leadership of the Samsung Biologics union has been charged with leaking trade secret information.On November 13, the Incheon Police Agency announced that it has referred union chairman Park Jae-sung and another individual to prosecutors on charges of violating the Unfair Competition Prevention Act, breach of trust, and defamation through false statements.Park and his associate are accused of accessing the company's internal system to obtain details of tax contracts submitted to the company's public relations department, which they allegedly distributed in a union newsletter.The leaked documents reportedly contained corporate information, including advertising expenditures by media outlets, and the file's properties indicated that Park's name was listed as the author.Police conducted a search of Samsung Biologics' headquarters in May, seizing records of system access and company entry logs, and concluded that the allegations were substantiated following further investigation.However, Park has reportedly denied the charges of leaking trade secrets during police questioning.In a statement released on the same day, the Samsung Biologics union expressed, "We cannot accept the police's judgment," asserting that there is no evidence that the chairman distributed the materials to the media or competitors.The union warned the company, stating, "If you think that filing a complaint will silence the union and suppress our struggle, you are mistaken," and vowed to continue fighting to address the company's wrongdoings and uphold the legitimate demands of its members.The Samsung Biologics union had previously staged a strike in March after negotiations with the company broke down and has been conducting a partial strike since November 6.Meanwhile, negotiations between Samsung Biologics and the union are set to resume on November 17. According to the union, they initially requested to begin negotiations on November 3, but the company proposed delaying the schedule by two weeks, leading to the rescheduled date of November 17.* This article has been translated by AI.
• Samsung Electronics Moves to Establish Seventh Labor Union Samsung Electronics is moving to establish its seventh labor union, just nine days after the filing of the sixth union's establishment report earlier this month. Internal conflicts surrounding the restructuring of existing unions have led to the formation of new unions, intensifying competition among them ahead of next year's wage and collective bargaining negotiations.According to industry sources on November 13, a report for the establishment of the 'Samsung Electronics Gwangju Labor Union' was submitted to the Gwangju Regional Employment and Labor Office. Lee Won-il, who previously served as the head of the Gwangju branch of the Samsung Electronics Super Union, is expected to lead the new union.Lee, who comes from the Device Experience (DX) division of Samsung Electronics, was one of two executives expelled during the restructuring of the Super Union, which focused on the semiconductor business within the Device Solutions (DS) division.The seventh union is set to operate primarily at the Gwangju facility, with plans to expand its organization as semiconductor clusters are established in the Honam region.This month alone marks the second new union formation at Samsung Electronics. On November 4, the 'Samsung Electronics Union Shop Labor Union' submitted its establishment report as the sixth union. Both unions are reportedly emerging in response to the internal conflicts and restructuring of the existing Super Union.Currently, five unions are active at Samsung Electronics: the Super Union (Union 5), the Donghaeng Union (Union 3), the National Samsung Electronics Labor Union (Union 4), the Office Workers Union (Union 1), and the Gumi Network Union (Union 2). Among these, the Super Union is the largest, boasting 53,480 members as of today.The establishment of multiple unions has drawn attention to next year's wage and collective bargaining negotiations. In a multi-union system, a representative union must be designated to negotiate with management, requiring a process to unify negotiation channels. The union that secures a majority of the total members among participating unions will take on the role of the negotiating representative. If no union holds a majority, a joint negotiating representative group will be formed. The scale of membership secured by the new unions could alter the negotiation dynamics.Existing unions have expressed concerns over the ongoing establishment of new unions. The Donghaeng Union, centered around the DX division, issued a statement today expressing regret that the internal conflicts and divisions within the Super Union are overshadowing the improvement of workers' rights, leading to the continuous formation of new labor unions.They emphasized, "We want to question what benefit the continuous increase of new labor unions brings to the 120,000 employees at Samsung Electronics," adding, "What is needed now is not a wasteful conflict among labor unions, but a resolution to the issue of exclusion from the DX in the 2026 wage negotiations, and a negotiation system that fairly reflects the voices of all divisions in 2027."* This article has been translated by AI.