Samsung employee income exposed: Monthly salary skyrocketed by 25% to 50,000+, but it still cannot stop the general strike

According to a report released by the Korean CXO Research Institute,In the first quarter of 2026, the per capita monthly salary of Samsung Electronics employees was approximately 12 million won (approximately 54,400 yuan), a year-on-year increase of 25%, setting a record high.The institute combined Samsung's first-quarter financial report with salary expenses of 560.32 trillion won and data on approximately 125,600 active employees to estimate that the per capita salary range in the first quarter was 33.91 million to 38.15 million won (approximately 153,600 to 172,800 yuan), with the median monthly average of approximately 12 million won.

Compared with 27.07 million won to 30.46 million won in the first quarter of 2025, the year-on-year increase is more than 25%, which is more than twice the 11.6% salary increase from 2023 to 2024.

The report pointed out that Samsung's sharp recovery in operating profits in the first quarter was the direct cause of the salary increase.

However, this data is only the average fixed salary. The CXO Research Institute emphasizes that,Performance bonuses account for a higher proportion of Samsung employees' income than fixed monthly salaries. If various performance bonuses are included, the actual annual salary will be significantly higher than the above figure.

While wages have reached a new high, labor negotiations between Samsung and the union are still at a stalemate, and the union plans to hold a strike starting on May 21.

The union advocates using 15% of this year's semiconductor division's operating profits as performance bonuses, of which 70% will be shared by the entire semiconductor business and 30% will be distributed based on differentiated performance of the divisions. Samsung believes that issuing high bonuses to loss-making divisions violates performance principles.

On May 18, a South Korean court ruled in favor of most of Samsung’s demands, requiring the union not to delay production even if it goes on strike.This decision is believed to have a significant impact on the direction of labor negotiations.