Seoul: President Lee Jae Myung on Thursday warned that excessive labor-related demands by unionized workers could end up doing more harm than good to the unions and other fellow workers, urging a more responsible approach from unions when dealing with labor issues. "While companies should treat workers as valuable partners in corporate management, workers and labor unions must also have a sense of responsibility," Lee said during a meeting with senior aides at Cheong Wa Dae.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Lee's remarks came as a major labor union of Samsung Electronics Co. has threatened to launch an 18-day general strike starting May 21, demanding high bonuses in proportion to the company's record high revenue. Some analysts predict operating losses could reach up to 10 trillion won (US$673.6 million) if the strike proceeds as planned. Earlier in the day, Samsung reported a first-quarter net profit surge, more than fivefold to 47.22 trillion won from 8.22 trillion won a year earlier, driven by robust demand for high-end memory chips used in artificial intelligence (AI) applications.

"At a time when the artificial intelligence transition is exposing the labor and industrial sectors to a fundamental change, there is a need for a spirit of coexistence and cooperation to overcome this critical challenge," Lee noted. He emphasized the necessity of a sense of responsibility and solidarity to create a society where all workers and the public can coexist harmoniously.

Lee also highlighted this year's first observance of Labor Day on Friday as a statutory holiday, stressing the importance of reducing labor market disparities and ensuring workplace safety. Additionally, he warned that a sharp increase in last month's producer prices could lead to rises in consumer prices in the coming months, urging officials to stabilize consumer prices. He cited agricultural, livestock, and fishery products, as well as logistics costs, as areas needing effective price stabilization measures.

At a subsequent press briefing, presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung mentioned that Lee instructed the education and justice ministries to examine whether school teachers face "inappropriate" legal liabilities over issues arising from student field trips. This instruction followed Lee's reference at a Cabinet meeting earlier this week to a growing tendency among schools to avoid field trips due to concerns over legal liability for potential student safety incidents. These remarks have sparked complaints from teacher groups regarding the legal burdens they could face during such trips.