According to industry sources, employees in certain sectors of Samsung Electronics' semiconductor division may receive bonuses of up to 600 million won each, based on a tentative agreement reached just before a planned general strike.
On May 21, reports indicated that Samsung Electronics and its labor union established a new special management bonus system for the DS division in their recent tentative agreement. This system combines the existing OPI of 1.5% with an additional special management bonus of 10.5%, resulting in a total bonus pool of 12%. The special management bonuses will be calculated based on performance metrics agreed upon by both parties, with no upper limit on the amount.
The distribution of these bonuses will vary within the DS division. Sixty percent of the total bonus pool will be allocated to profitable sectors, while the remaining 40% will be distributed across the entire DS division. As a result, employees in profitable sectors, such as memory, are expected to benefit the most.
Industry analysts estimate that if Samsung's DS division sees a significant improvement in operating profit, employees in the memory sector could receive bonuses of around 600 million won, combining the common pool and sector-specific allocations. This estimate is based on a salary of 100 million won and is calculated before taxes.
Loss-making sectors may also receive a certain level of bonuses in the short term. The tentative agreement reportedly includes a provision to apply differential treatment to loss-making sectors starting in 2027, effectively postponing penalties for this year.
However, the agreement has sparked controversy, as it is seen as unprecedented. The bonus pool is set to be maintained for ten years, and the lack of a cap could lead to substantial rewards during periods of strong performance. Conversely, there may be growing feelings of deprivation and fairness concerns among non-semiconductor sectors and shareholders due to the DS-centric bonus distribution.
An industry insider noted, "While the general strike has been averted, internal equity issues surrounding the bonuses are likely to intensify from here on out. Especially if the figure of 600 million won gains prominence, the gap between DS and non-DS sectors could widen further."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.