Corea, República de - Samsung Group executives cleared of anti-union schemes despite written evidence:

In January 2015, Korean state prosecutors decided not to bring charges against Samsung Group executives, including Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Kun-hee, who had been accused of blocking Samsung workers from establishing labour unions. The Seoul Central Prosecutors’ Office said Tuesday that it cleared Lee and the group’s strategy office head Choi Gee-sung of allegations they had violated the country’s labour law, citing a lack of evidence. The accusations came to light in October 2013 when Rep. Sim Sang-jung of the minor opposition Justice Party disclosed a 150-page document detailing the group’s anti-labour activities. It read: «In case of attempts to establish labour unions, the group’s labour-related departments and each affiliate’s personnel affairs departments should cooperate to deter the moves as early as possible,» adding, «If the early collapse fails, they should make the unions wither through a long-term strategy.» Samsung has long kept a stance not to support labour unions. Following the disclosure, some civic groups and the Lawyers for a Democratic Society filed a complaint with the prosecution against Lee and Choi, claiming the group carried out systematic tactics to block any moves to form labour unions. Prosecutors, however, said they could not find evidence showing that Samsung affiliates committed unfair labour practices. Prosecutors did, however, find unfair practices at one affiliate, Samsung Everland, which changed its name to Cheil Industries last year. They subsequently asked a court to hand down between 5 million and 10 million won in fines to four executives there.