Samsung Workers Rally for Fair Compensation Amid AI-Driven Profit Surge

Thousands of Samsung Electronics workers gathered in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, on Thursday, rallying for greater bonuses amid booming profits driven by artificial intelligence. The protest, held at the company’s computer chip complex, included around 40,000 participants holding signs and calling for transparency in compensation.

With 74,000 members, the Samsung union has set May 21 as the start date for a possible 18-day strike if demands are not met, suggesting it could cost the company over 1 trillion won daily. Rival SK Hynix reported record profits, reflecting a surge in global AI-driven demand for memory chips.

Amid these profit surges, the ongoing war in the Middle East threatens to destabilize supply chains crucial to semiconductor production, such as helium, and adds to rising energy costs, creating a challenging backdrop for the industry.