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Samsung Electronics has faced what might generously be called a financial slap on the wrist after allegedly exposing its workers to harmful radiation. Following the conclusion of a nearly four-month investigation, Samsung’s consumer electronics division was issued a fine of “as much as 10.5 million won,” or just under $8,000.
On May 27, nuclear safety authorities in South Korea were notified of a radiation exposure incident at Samsung’s silicon wafer plant in Giheung. The country’s Nuclear Safety and Security Commission (NSSC) immediately ordered Samsung to suspend operations as it assessed the situation and launched a probe.
Investigators quickly learned that Samsung’s radiation safety team had neglected to ensure the successful operation of a device that automatically shuts off radiation when a certain piece of equipment is opened. As a result, two employees responsible for using that equipment were exposed to X-rays “far higher than the annual limit,” Bloomberg reported. The workers were hospitalized after showing “abnormal symptoms on their fingers” due to localized exposure.
Credit: Samsung
In the days following the incident, Samsung indicated it would cooperate with the investigation, which involved genetic testing, worker interviews, accident reenactment, and computer simulation, while “fully supporting [the workers’] treatment and recovery.” On Thursday, Bloomberg reported that Samsung would face an administrative penalty that currently amounts to $7,985 in the United States. Samsung has reportedly promised to “do its best” to avoid similar accidents in the future.
The radiation incident is only the most recent of Samsung’s manufacturing mishaps. Last month, an employee at a Samsung plant in Texas sued the company for negligence that he claims resulted in him being crushed by 800-pound equipment during work. In 2023, one employee died and dozens of others were hospitalized after Samsung’s Vietnam plant mismanaged its toxic chemicals, resulting in methanol poisoning.