Prime Minister Kim Min-seok convened an emergency meeting of related ministers on the 13th after post-mediation in the wage and bonus negotiations between labor and management at Samsung Electronics broke down. Post-mediation is a system in which the Central Labor Relations Commission conducts mediation again with the consent of both labor and management after initial mediation fails.
At the meeting, Kim said, "Given the seriousness of the ripple effects on the national economy, manage the situation closely at the government level," and asked officials to "actively support continued dialogue between labor and management under any circumstances so it does not lead to a strike."
Labor and management at Samsung Electronics began post-mediation procedures on the 11th. However, the talks collapsed after the union asked at 2:50 a.m. on the 13th to halt post-mediation.
On the day, Minister Kim Young-hoon of the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL) appeared on the YouTube channel "Jang Yoon-sun's Reporting Convenience Store" and, when asked "Are you considering invoking emergency adjustment authority?" said, "They should talk even if it means staying up all night."
Emergency adjustment authority is an exceptional mediation procedure invoked by the Labor Ministry minister only when a labor dispute is likely to significantly harm the national economy. Minister Kim indicated a stance to continue mediation through dialogue rather than blocking the union's strike with emergency adjustment authority.
Minister Kim said, "Whether to strike is the union's choice, but we will do our best to once again urge and arrange dialogue so it does not lead to a strike." He added, "People say the strike countdown has begun, but the government's position is to split seconds if we must to coordinate both sides."