Samsung vice chairman Lee Jae-yong held a press conference on 6 April and made what Yonhap News calls a rare public apology about the scandals surrounding his succession. Lee, the eldest son of Samsung Group chief Lee Kun-hee, then vowed not to pass any company “managerial rights” over to any of his heirs and to allow labour unions. "Samsung has not strictly complied with laws and ethics, and also has been inadequate in communicating with society. (…) All of these came from our inadequacy, and it's my fault. I apologize," Lee said.
The South Korean daily noted that this was the first time that Lee has made a public apology since June 2015, when he did so over a Samsung hospital's mishandling of the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS). Samsung’s independent compliance committee urged Lee in March to make a public apology and come up with measures to improve Samsung's compliance culture in three areas: managerial succession, labour union and communication with civil society.
Lee was meant to give his address on 10 April but delayed the date amid the coronavirus outbreak. Lee still faces a retrial for bribery charges. He was accused of involvement in the corruption scandal that brought down the former President of South Korea Park Geun-hye and was sent to prison with a five-year jail term. He was released early however, with many charges reversed. The country’s Supreme Court ordered a retrial however and dismissed the appeals court ruling. Lee has since continued leading the company, though he has left the board.
Lee also apologized to those who were hurt by the group's "no-labour union" policy. "From now on, I will make sure that Samsung no longer pursues no labour union management," he said. Samsung had discourage labor unions for decades, claiming that its policy better ensures its workers' rights and welfare. In December, the group saw former Samsung Electronics board chairman and CFO Lee Sang-hoon sentenced to 18 months in prison for sabotaging a labour union.
Lee also vowed to listen to various voices from people, emphasizing that compliance will be Samsung's key culture. Lee also shared his vision for Samsung, saying that the group aims to make society better by using its technology prowess and pursuing new business opportunities. The vice-chairman also wants to bring in more talent to the company. "Those talented people should work with responsibility and must lead our businesses from more important positions than me," he said. "If I can fully carry out my role, then Samsung can remain as Samsung," he said.
Finally, Lee guaranteed that Samsung's compliance committee, led by former Supreme Court Justice Kim Ji-hyung, will act independently even if court trials related to his cases end. The committee was officially launched in February.
Meanwhile, the Federation of Korean Trade Unions, one of the major umbrella unions in the country, released a statement following Lee's apology, saying that the company should now act on his words regarding its promise on labour union policies.
