Park Su-keun, chairperson of the Central Labor Relations Commission under the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MOEL), who is presiding over the second post-mediation meeting between Samsung Electronics labor and management, conveyed the mood of the talks on the afternoon of the 18th, saying, "(Both sides) are talking." Post-mediation is a procedure in which the Central Labor Relations Commission mediates both sides after labor-management negotiations break down. Samsung Electronics labor and management were said to have agreed in the morning meeting to continue post-mediation through tomorrow.
As Chairperson Park entered the post-mediation meeting room around 2 p.m., when reporters asked, "Are talks happening?" Park replied, "Talks are happening." However, when reporters asked, "How much has the gap (between labor and management) narrowed?" Park said, "I don't know yet."
Samsung Electronics labor and management began the second post-mediation at 10 a.m. that day. In the morning meeting, labor and management were said to have presented their respective proposals. Earlier, the Samsung Electronics union said it would allocate 15% of operating profit as the bonus pool and go on a general strike from the 21st to July 7 unless the bonus cap is removed. Management's position is that it cannot accept this proposal.
After finishing the morning meeting, Chairperson Park met with reporters and said, "(From the afternoon, labor and management) will bring proposals (for mediation)." Park added, "(Today) we will go until 7 p.m., and (the subsequent post-mediation) will resume at 10 a.m. tomorrow."
Earlier, the two sides held the first post-mediation on the 11th–13th, but the talks collapsed. After Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong issued a public apology on the 16th, labor and management decided to proceed with a second post-mediation. The second post-mediation is the last negotiating opportunity before the union's general strike. If no agreement is reached in the second post-mediation and the union proceeds with a general strike, the government will consider invoking emergency mediation powers.