At 3 p.m. on the 21st, in front of the Samsung Electronics Seocho office building in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Members of the Samsung Electronics labor union Donghaeng (Donghaeng Union), centered on employees in the Samsung Electronics Device eXperience (DX, finished goods) institutional sector, dressed in black and filled about 160 meters of the road in front of the building. On the rally stage, a photo of Chairman Lee Jae-yong of Samsung Electronics was displayed with the phrase, "Chairman Lee Jae-yong, please listen to the voices of DX employees." On one side, a condolence wreath reading "We pray for the repose of the late Samsung Electronics DX institutional sector" was placed. As of 6 p.m. that day, attendance was an unofficial police estimate of 2,500 (3,500 by the organizers' count).
At the rally site, chants targeted Park Hark-kyu, head of the business support office at Samsung Electronics (president), and Chung Hyun-ho, chairman's aide (vice chairman). Union members shouted, "Park Hark-kyu and Chung Hyun-ho must resign," "Take responsibility for management failure," and "Stop workforce cuts." Black placards read, "Employees are forced to resign, executives live in luxury." A banner said, "Management is incompetent! Responsibility is workforce cuts!" Chants of "Explain record sales and record losses" were also heard.
The rally stirred controversy over both its justification and its methods. Samsung Electronics labor and management already concluded wage negotiations in May, and under the agreement implemented a 6.2% wage increase, expanded benefits, and stock grants worth 6 million won per person for the DX institutional sector, among others. The tentative agreement passed with 73.7% approval in a vote of union members. Donghaeng Union's applications for injunctions to suspend the effect of the wage agreement against the bargaining representative union were dismissed and rejected by the court in June. In this situation, critics called it a "belated rally" to effectively reopen negotiations while staging a large-scale street demonstration.
Donghaeng Union argues the DX institutional sector has been left out of compensation compared to the DS (semiconductors) institutional sector. Citing DX's past companywide contributions as corresponding to a value of more than 1,000 shares of company stock per employee, it is demanding a reasonable evaluation and compensation. It is also calling for renegotiation of wage talks in 2026 and the creation of companywide shared performance funds going forward. The union is further concerned that, in the artificial intelligence transformation (AX) process, converting time saved by job into headcount could be used as grounds for workforce reductions.
The rally also sparked debate over its legality. Donghaeng Union did not go through procedures to secure the right to strike, such as labor commission mediation and a strike vote. The union says it is not a strike because members voluntarily used annual leave and the in-house leave system "D-Day" to attend. On the other hand, if a large number of employees, led by the union, left their duties simultaneously during working hours, a key issue could be whether it constitutes a de facto collective refusal to provide labor. Some also noted that, given the wage agreement already in effect, collective action to demand additional wages and compensation could run counter to the duty of peace.
Starting at 4 p.m., union members marched around Gangnam Station and the Seocho office building area. As some lanes were controlled ahead of Friday's evening commute, it affected the flow of nearby traffic. A person surnamed Lee, 47, who runs a restaurant near the Seocho office building, said, "While receiving higher pay than typical workers, holding a rally that harms citizens, nearby merchants, and residents and creates noise is something I cannot understand or agree with."