As the tentative wage agreement at Samsung Electronics is seen as likely to pass, some in the industry are voicing concern that fixing a set share of business performance as a bonus pool over the long term could weaken investment capacity.
According to the industry on the 25th, the tentative agreement calls for using 10.5% of the semiconductor (DS) institutional sector's business performance as a special bonus pool. With many union members belonging to the DS institutional sector, the industry sees a high chance of final approval.
Major overseas semiconductor corporations also run profit-sharing programs, but it is understood that fixing a set share of business performance or operating profit for a long period is not common. Most have structures that set compensation levels by comprehensively reflecting board judgment, profitability, strategic goals, and individual performance.
TSMC, under its articles of incorporation, allocates at least 1% of annual profits to the employee bonus pool, but the actual payout is decided with board approval. Last year, it paid about 9.6 trillion won in bonuses, with the average amount per employee reported at about 110 million won.
Micron likewise operates a structure that incorporates the company's revenue and strategic goals along with individual performance. It provides both cash bonuses and stock awards but does not disclose the average bonus per employee.
The industry also notes that global semiconductor corporations are focusing on ramping up large-scale investment to respond to intensifying competition in AI Semiconductor chips.
TSMC plans to expand this year's capital expenditure to as much as $56 billion (about 84 trillion won). Micron likewise presented capital expenditure of $25 billion (about 37 trillion won) or more for fiscal 2026 and plans to continue expanding investment in production facilities in the United States.
Samsung Electronics has also said it plans to execute more than 110 trillion won this year in research and development (R&D) and facility investment. The industry sees the balance between compensation systems and investment strategies emerging as a key task amid intensifying competition for leadership in the AI market.