Korea JoongAng Daily - Daily News from Korea

This article is by Sarah Chea and read by an artificial voice.

Hanwha Ocean is entering the final stretch of its campaign for Canada's $40 billion submarine bidding, vying with Germany, amid an intensified race ahead of the announcement of the preferred bidder expected in a month.

The Korean company said Sunday that it amassed strong interest from Canadian government officials and industrial magnates at CANSEC 2026, Canada's defense and security exhibition that ran for two days starting Wednesday in Ottawa, where the company spotlighted the operational capabilities of the KSS-III submarine, currently in service with the Republic of Korea Navy.

The KSS-III is the world's first diesel-electric submarine to integrate both an air-independent propulsion system and lithium-ion battery technology, which is also regarded as a platform suitable for the Royal Canadian Navy's operational requirements for its future submarine fleet.

Victor Fedeli, Ontario's Minister of Economic Development, visited Hanwha Ocean's booth during the exhibition, along with executives from major defense contractors like Seaspan, Irving Shipbuilding, Babcock Canada and CAE, as well as representatives from Invest Nova Scotia and the University of Waterloo.

Hanwha Ocean promoted that if the Korean consortium is selected for the Canadian Patrol Submarine Project (CPSP), it could generate more than 22,500 jobs annually and contribute roughly $94 billion to Canada's GDP over the life of the program.

"Defense and aerospace account for approximately 6 percent of Nova Scotia's provincial GDP, with over 17,000 skilled professionals employed in the sector," said Colton LeBlanc, Minister of Growth and Development for the province of Nova Scotia, Canada. "Any opportunity to collaborate and support your initiatives matters to us — and the door is open."

Flavio Volpe, president of Canada's Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association (APMA), also emphasized Korea's industrial cooperation with Canada during his visit to the booth on Wednesday.

"We also think that this agreement between Hanwha and the APMA is a window to a bridge for further Korean-Canadian cooperation. We look forward to decades of building this country together with our Korean friends."

The CPSP, aimed at replacing the Royal Canadian Navy's aging submarine fleet, calls for the acquisition of 12 submarines in the 3,000-ton class and is valued at up to 60 trillion won ($43 billion). Hanwha Ocean has advanced to the final round alongside Germany's Thyssenkrupp Marine Systems, with a decision on the preferred bidder expected in late June.

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

HD Hyundai said on Sunday that it will expand its commemorative initiatives for June, the "Month of Patriots and Veterans," by honoring fallen patriots and war heroes while strengthening its supportive programs for military veterans.

HD Hyundai Chairman Chung Ki-sun visited the Seoul National Cemetery on March 29, where he laid flowers and paid tribute to those who sacrificed their lives in service to the nation. Some 200 employees, including HD Construction Equipment CEO Moon Jae-youn, joined the ceremony.

HD Construction Equipment on Sunday signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs to support the construction of memorial facilities honoring veterans in countries that fought under the United Nations Command during the 1950–53 Korean War. The company will also provide the construction equipment needed for the projects.

The first overseas veterans memorial will be built in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, which was the only African nation to deploy ground troops in support of Korea during the Korean War.

"Remembering the sacrifice and dedication of war veterans and passing their legacy on to future generations is our responsibility," Chung said. "HD Hyundai will continue to stand with those who have devoted themselves to the nation by honoring their service and preserving their memory."

BY SARAH CHEA [[email protected]]

This article is by Kim Su-min, Lee Young-keun, Yi Woo-lim, Noh Yu-rim and read by an artificial voice.

Korea's semiconductor boom is no longer just reshaping paychecks — it is redrawing apartment maps, luxury shopping trends and even the marriage market.

The traditional white-collar formula in which elite university degrees and impressive credentials lead to high salaries is giving way to the era of the "silicon collar," where even high school graduates in the production sector — formerly looked down upon as "just" blue collar — can receive performance bonuses worth hundreds of millions of won by riding the semiconductor boom.

The term "silicon collar" comes from silicon, the core material used in semiconductor wafers, and refers to a new class of high-income technology workers benefiting from the boom in advanced industries such as AI and semiconductors through massive bonuses and rising assets.

One noticeable change is the younger demographic of homebuyers in the Hwaseong region in Gyeonggi, especially Dongtan, which has earned the nickname "double shuttle zone" because employee commute buses for both Samsung Electronics and SK hynix — the two most sought-after companies in Korea as of now — pass through the neighborhood.

"Since late last year, the age group of employees from the two companies visiting to look at homes has become noticeably younger, as young as in their late 20s," a local real estate agent stated.

"SK hynix employees in their 40s have recently been signing contracts for apartments worth around 2 billion won [$1.34 million], one after another," said a real estate industry source in Bundang District, Seongnam, Gyeonggi.

On May 21, the day after Samsung Electronics management and labor reached an agreement on performance bonuses, charts estimating "which neighborhoods employees could afford based on rank" already began circulating online.

The charts suggested that entry-level and assistant manager employees could afford homes in Dongtan and Gwanggyo, also in Gyeonggi, while department heads could move into affluent neighborhoods such as Seocho District, southern Seoul. Corporate ranks had effectively become shorthand for housing prices.

The surge in demand from semiconductor money is also pushing up home prices.

Apartment prices in Suji District, Yongin, Gyeonggi, rose a cumulative 7.97 percent through the third week of May, according to weekly housing data from the Korea Real Estate Board. That is 4.6 times higher than the 1.73 percent increase recorded during the same period last year.

Cumulative gains this year in Bundang District, Seongnam, reached 5.71 percent, while prices rose 5.01 percent in Giheung District, Yongin, and 4.43 percent in Yeongtong District, Suwon, all outpacing Seoul's average increase of 3.42 percent.

Dongtan District in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi, also outpaced Seoul, posting cumulative apartment price gains of 3.97 percent since separate tracking began in the second week of February. Dongtan District officially became a new administrative district in February this year.

The "semiconductor money" is also reshaping Korea's luxury retail landscape.

"Growth at stores in southern Gyeonggi, home to the country's 'semiconductor belt,' is approaching levels seen in major luxury shopping districts such as Gangnam District, [southern Seoul], and Myeongdong, [Jung District, central Seoul]," said a department store source.

Luxury jewelry sales at Shinsegae South City, a department store in Yongin, surged 192.9 percent on year in the first quarter. Similarly, the sales of luxury designer goods at Lotte Department Store's Dongtan branch rose 40 percent.

Employees from Samsung Electronics and SK hynix accounted for the largest share of members in "Club Friends," a paid membership program for office workers at Hyundai Department Store's Pangyo branch. Spending by the club members rose more than 50 percent year on year in the first quarter.

The trend is also affecting Korea's marriage market.

Marriage...

This article is by Shin Ha-nee and read by an artificial voice.

Two years ago, girl group aespa sealed its distinctive place in K-pop with "Armageddon" (2024), a critically acclaimed full-length album that pushed the quartet's signature futuristic, sleek sound into its narrative peak.

With its second full-length album, "Lemonade," aespa is squeezing a new world out of sourness — because when life gives aespa lemons, the girl group does not merely make lemonade. It squeezes harder.

"'Lemonade' [the title track] is a song that best captures aespa's signature wit," said member Winter during a press conference at Sofitel Ambassador Seoul Hotel in southern Seoul on Thursday, a day before the release of its second full-length album.

"There's this saying, 'when life gives you lemons, make lemonade,'" she continued. "It is one of my favorite songs because the song is our witty interpretation of that positive message."

The album will mark a new chapter of the intricate storytelling woven throughout the group's discography, said Karina.

"Our world building expands anew with this album," she said. "Our style has been described a lot as a 'metallic taste,' but this time, we are going with something sour, to hopefully make the summer feel more refreshing."

The quartet's second full-length album, "Lemonade," arrives about two years after its first studio album, "Armageddon" and eight months after its sixth EP, "Rich Man" (2025).

The album, set to be released at 1 p.m. Friday, features 10 tracks: the title track "Lemonade," the pre-release single "WDA (Whole Different Animal)" featuring G-Dragon, and B-sides "Shakin'," "Can't Help Myself," "Camouflage," "Bite," "Switchblade" featuring Ty Dolla $ign, "Roll," "My Plan" and "'Till We Die." The physical edition also includes a remix version of "Lemonade" featuring Becky G.

The latest album arrives with high expectations, following the success of aespa's first full-length album, "Armageddon." The 2024 release was both a commercial and critical hit: At the 22nd Korean Music Awards — a critics-led ceremony judged by musicians and industry experts with a focus on musical quality rather than sales figures — aespa won three awards, including Song of the Year.

"Our first full-length album received so much love, so we felt a lot of pressure," Karina admitted. "But we also prepared it with excitement. We discussed a lot with the company and thought hard about what kind of new side of ourselves we could show, and this album is the result of all that."

aespa debuted with its first digital single, "Black Mamba," under SM Entertainment in 2020. The quartet, comprised of members Karina, Giselle, Winter and Ningning, is best known for hit songs such as "Next Level" (2021), "Spicy" (2023), "Drama" (2024), "Supernova" (2024) and "Rich Man" (2025).

One of the most distinctive elements that sets aespa apart is its elaborate world-building.

In the group's first chapter, which began with "Black Mamba," aespa was introduced as an act existing between the physical and virtual worlds. With "Armageddon," that narrative expanded into a multiverse, where the members encountered alternate versions of themselves.

Now, with its new "Lemonade" era, aespa enters a third chapter. The members' repeated crossings between realities and parallel universes have created "complexity" — a rupture in reality itself.

But aespa is not rattled by the disruption. Instead, the quartet declares that it can handle any complexity thrown its way.

As self-assurance and confidence remain central to aespa's musical narrative, the members define that confidence as something rooted in staying true to oneself.

"We often become very conscious of what others think, and even when we want to take charge of our own lives and do what we like and love, we hesitate a lot," said Winter. "So, we want to give people the energy to exist as themselves. I think the most important thing is knowing yourself."

Coinciding with the album's release, SM Entertainm...

This article is by Jin Eun-soo and read by an artificial voice.

It was chaotic and unforgettable, locals say. But most importantly, it left a lasting mark, with fans continuing to flock to Busan in search of locales related to BTS while discovering the charm of the port city along the way.

"I couldn't even get near the Asiad stadium [where BTS concert was held] because the area was completely packed," said Jang Kyung-ja, a veteran taxi driver who has worked in the city for more than a decade. "But I drove so many BTS fans before and after the concert who were staying for longer to look around the city."

Now, nearly four years later, as BTS prepares to return to Busan for its upcoming two-day "Arirang" concert on June 12 and 13, the city is once again bracing for an influx of fans.

"Is it going to be a citywide festival? Oh, I really look forward to it," Jang said with a smile. "These days, even if I don't speak English, they all use apps like Uber and all I have to do is put on a big smile. You won't believe how much a taxi driver's attitude shapes a traveler's impression of the country. I want them to leave Busan thinking it's a welcoming city and to want to come back later."

Busan holds a special place for BTS fans, collectively known as ARMY. Not only has the septet held a large-scale concert in the city before, but it is also the hometown of members Jimin and Jungkook. Neighborhoods associated with the two singers' childhood and places that BTS members have visited have become pilgrimage routes for fans.

"These days, there isn't a single day without an ARMY visitor," she said. "You can recognize them right away because they are wearing purple clothes or accessories. There were some claims that too many fans lining in front of our diner disturbed other businesses, but it generally feels that most merchants are welcoming them because they also leave with their hands full of something they buy at this traditional market."

"We already have multiple group reservations from ARMY in June on the concert days," a staff member at the restaurant said.

At Gamcheon Culture Village, one of Busan's best-known tourist attractions famous for its pastel-colored hillside houses, preparations for BTS fans were quietly underway as well.

The village has long been an epicenter for ARMY activity thanks to several BTS-themed murals adorning the village's walls.

On a recent Tuesday, a maintenance worker was restoring one mural depicting Jungkook and Jimin painted on the wall of a small shop.

"This mural is more than seven or eight years old now, and the water-based paint has started cracking," the worker said while applying white filler to damaged areas of the mural.

"We're restoring it before the June concert so fans can enjoy taking photos with it again."

Once the base work is completed, an art student from Hongik University will come to repaint the mural, the worker added.

With at least 100,000 fans expected to flock to Busan for the two-day concert — matching the number of tickets sold — hotel prices have surged while complaints over arbitrary reservation cancellations have spread across local tourism industry.

"I'm here in Busan for vacation right now, but I'm coming back again in June for the concert," said Suhartini, a fan from Indonesia who has visited Korea six times since becoming an ARMY during the pandemic in 2021.

"I am going back to Seoul immediately after the concert because I couldn't find the right accommodation."

The government has pledged a full-scale effort to curb price gouging and unfair reservation cancellations while securing alternative accommodations in neighboring cities through facilities such as universities and churches.

"I read news that BTS fans are saying they would not spend a penny in Busan after getting mad at price gouging and I felt really bad and ashamed," said another local taxi driver Lee Seung-nyoung, adding businesses should actively avoid such behavior for their own good.

This article is by Woo Ji-won and read by an artificial voice.

Early summer in Seoul nudges people outdoors. Before long, the day becomes a choice between heading for the water or chasing the sky.

In western Seoul's Yeouido, though, there is no need to choose. Instead, you can cut through the Han River aboard the Hangang Bus ferry before soaring upward on Seouldal, the city's giant tethered hot-air balloon.

After arriving at the Hangang Bus's Jamsil dock in Songpa District, southern Seoul, on a Tuesday, the wide-open Han River stretched out before the eyes. With 10 minutes left before departure, people were already waiting excitedly on the platform as the ferry, capable of carrying up to 199 people, slowly pulled in.

Launched last September to expand public transportation beyond land, Hangang Bus is a river-based ferry service connecting seven stops along the Han River: Jamsil, Ttukseom, Oksu, Apgujeong, Yeouido, Mangwon and Magok.

Although the service was introduced as an affordable form of everyday transportation, it is increasingly becoming one of Seoul's must-try attractions, with many passengers, from locals to foreign tourists, treating it more as a sightseeing experience.

"It's really nice traveling on the river," said Cristtel Ramirez, who was taking photos with her friends on the ferry's deck. "I'm having a really relaxing time."

Beyond the scenic views, what surprised her the most was the ticket price. "In my country [Mexico], it would cost a lot more," she said. The ride costs a maximum of 3,000 won ($2) and becomes cheaper if a person needs to transfer on their way.

On another part of the deck, Yang Jin-kyung was filming a TikTok to a song by the boy band Cortis.

"I didn't come planning to film," Yang said. "But the scenery was so nice that I decided to anyway. It's fun but a little scary to go under bridges."

More than 270,000 people have used the Hangang Bus service so far, with daily ridership now averaging around 2,000 passengers, according to the Seoul Tourism Organization. After experiencing operational issues during its early months, one of the two routes was temporarily suspended, but both have been running normally since March.

Few passengers have boarded the ferry for its original intended purpose. Lee Nu-rim boarded alone at Apgujeong while heading home to Yeouido during a break from his military service.

"I saw it online and thought that it looked fun, and the route happened to line up with my way home," he explained. Still, he was unsure whether he would use it regularly as a means of transportation. "It's definitely worth trying once for the experience, but I don't know if I'd ride it often."

Part of the hesitation comes from the travel time. The ferry, moving at roughly 29 kilometers (18 miles) per hour, takes about 1 hour and 20 minutes from Jamsil to Yeouido dock. On the subway, that journey takes about 40 minutes.

But for those hoping to enjoy Seoul's iconic river without spending much, the ferry's slower pace is part of its charm. The Hangang Bus currently runs two round-trip routes — Yeouido-Jamsil and Yeouido-Magok — with 16 ferries operating daily from 10 a.m. to 8:27 p.m. Single tickets can be purchased at ticket machines located at each dock.

Just a 15-minute walk from the Yeouido dock awaits another of Seoul's hottest attractions: Seouldal, a giant moon-shaped balloon floating 130 meters (426.5 feet) above the city.

For a tourist named Militia and her boyfriend, it was the very first thing that they wanted to do in Seoul.

"We just arrived last night," the German visitor said. "I'm excited to see the city view and all the tall buildings."

Located in the heart of Yeouido Park, Seouldal lifts visitors into the sky for 15 minutes at a time. During the ride, passengers can see the Han River, dozens of skyscrapers and the National Assembly Building, with even Jamsil's Lotte World Tower visible in the distance for a truly panoramic view of the capital. Another equally beautiful scene unfo...

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

BUSAN — Busan still vividly remembers the purple wave that swept the city in 2022 when BTS held a massive concert in the coastal city.

It was chaotic and unforgettable, locals say. But most importantly, it left a lasting mark, with fans continuing to flock to Busan in search of locales related to BTS while discovering the charm of the port city along the way.

"I couldn't even get near the Asiad stadium [where BTS concert was held] because the area was completely packed," said Jang Kyung-ja, a veteran taxi driver who has worked in the city for more than a decade. "But I drove so many BTS fans before and after the concert who were staying for longer to look around the city."

Now, nearly four years later, as BTS prepares to return to Busan for its upcoming two-day "Arirang" concert on June 12 and 13, the city is once again bracing for an influx of fans.

"Is it going to be a citywide festival? Oh, I really look forward to it," Jang said with a smile. "These days, even if I don't speak English, they all use apps like Uber and all I have to do is put on a big smile. You won't believe how much a taxi driver's attitude shapes a traveler's impression of the country. I want them to leave Busan thinking it's a welcoming city and to want to come back later."

Busan holds a special place for BTS fans, collectively known as ARMY. Not only has the septet held a large-scale concert in the city before, but it is also the hometown of members Jimin and Jungkook. Neighborhoods associated with the two singers' childhood and places that BTS members have visited have become pilgrimage routes for fans.

"I remember 2022 because there were so many ARMY fans lining up at our diner," said Kim Su-yeon, owner of Matna Bunsik, a tiny diner inside Seodong Market selling tteokbokki (spicy rice cake) , sundae (steamed pork intestine) and other street food. Matna Bunsik became a frequently sought-after food joint once it became known that Jimin was a regular at the diner during his childhood.

"These days, there isn't a single day without an ARMY visitor," she said. "You can recognize them right away because they are wearing purple clothes or accessories. There were some claims that too many fans lining in front of our diner disturbed other businesses, but it generally feels that most merchants are welcoming them because they also leave with their hands full of something they buy at this traditional market."

A milmyeon (cold wheat noodles) restaurant — where BTS leader RM had once visited — called Dongrae Milmyeon was already feeling BTS's return to the city.

"We already have multiple group reservations from ARMY in June on the concert days," a staff member at the restaurant said.

At Gamcheon Culture Village, one of Busan's best-known tourist attractions famous for its pastel-colored hillside houses, preparations for BTS fans were quietly underway as well.

The village has long been an epicenter for ARMY activity thanks to several BTS-themed murals adorning the village's walls.

On a recent Tuesday, a maintenance worker was restoring one mural depicting Jungkook and Jimin painted on the wall of a small shop.

"This mural is more than seven or eight years old now, and the water-based paint has started cracking," the worker said while applying white filler to damaged areas of the mural.

"We're restoring it before the June concert so fans can enjoy taking photos with it again."

Once the base work is completed, an art student from Hongik University will come to repaint the mural, the worker added.

Despite the excitement, however, several challenges remain to be solved.

With at least 100,000 fans expected to flock to Busan for the two-day concert — matching the number of tickets sold — hotel prices have surged while complaints over arbitrary reservation cancellations have spread across local tourism industry.

"I'm here in Busan for vacation right now, but I'm coming back again in June for the concert," said Suhartini, ...

Na Sung-in

The author is a music critic and director of the classical music brand Poongwoldang.

Leonard Bernstein was one of the greatest conductors of the 20th century. With his wide repertoire, versatility and original yet disciplined interpretations, he was often seen as a rival to Herbert von Karajan. But the two projected very different images. Karajan was known for his stern and almost mystical charisma, while Bernstein appeared polished, relaxed and approachable. His television appearances also made him more familiar to the public.

The media frequently compared the two conductors, turning their rivalry into a cultural topic of its own. The symbolic contrast between the Berlin Philharmonic and the New York Philharmonic added to such comparisons, and after Bernstein established himself in Vienna, the comparison shifted to the Berlin Philharmonic and the Vienna Philharmonic. If Karajan was admired above all for opera, Bernstein built a strong reputation as an interpreter of composers and contemporary music.

If Karajan was like an emperor, Bernstein was like a rabbi. He possessed broad humanistic knowledge and never lost his wit or humor. Watching him rehearse with young people often felt like watching an elder reading from the Talmud. Through conversation, questions and attentive listening, he knew how to turn learning into something enjoyable.

The clearest example of Bernstein's gifts as an educator was the "Young People's Concerts" (1958), broadcast on CBS in the United States in 52 episodes from 1958 to 1972. Through the series, Bernstein constantly introduced young audiences to unfamiliar music. He presented works by Jean Sibelius, Igor Stravinsky, Paul Hindemith and Dmitri Shostakovich as major programs, while also introducing contemporary American composers such as Aaron Copland and Roy Harris.

The program also provided opportunities for young musicians, including Claudio Abbado, Lynn Harrell and Kim Young Uck. Broadcast nationwide on television, the series had enormous influence. It not only raised the cultural awareness of ordinary Americans but also inspired the next generation of musicians.

What is a true teacher? Perhaps it is someone who first falls in love and then teaches others how to love as well. Bernstein used his fame as a media star to share his love of music with the public. In that sense, he was not only a conductor but also a genuine teacher and educator.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.

The author is a senior editorial writer at the JoongAng Ilbo.

"We are fortunate that the United States is checking China, giving Korean companies more time."

The comment came from Kwon Oh-hyun, a former Samsung Electronics chair who led the company's semiconductor rise. His point was clear: Korea's current semiconductor boom is not solely the result of domestic competitiveness, nor is there any guarantee it will last.

He is not wrong. China has already caught up with Korea in many key industries including home appliances, electric vehicles, batteries, steel and petrochemicals. Semiconductors remain one of the few sectors where Korea still holds an advantage. Yet even in that industry, Samsung Electronics and SK hynix recently faced controversy over enormous performance bonuses linked to soaring profits from the global AI boom.

The issue extends far beyond the companies themselves. Bonus systems tied to a fixed percentage of operating profit are rapidly spreading across the industry. More importantly, the situation raises broader questions about whether the Korean economy remains structurally healthy.

The first issue concerns the future. In highly competitive advanced industries, it is difficult to find examples of companies promising workers a long-term share of operating profits while fighting for technological survival. Samsung reportedly agreed to maintain such a system for a decade. According to securities industry estimates, if Samsung continues generating the expected profits, the company could pay more than 120 trillion won ($80 billion) in bonuses over the next three years under a formula allocating 10.5 percent of business performance to employees. For some memory chip division workers, payouts could exceed 2 billion won per person.

That amount is comparable to Samsung's total research and development (R&D) spending over the past four years. The question is whether the company can continue maintaining its technological lead while distributing such a large share of profits internally. Global technology firms such as Google and Meta, along with Chinese competitors, are aggressively increasing investment even through external financing. History offers few examples of companies maintaining top-tier competitiveness after prioritizing the distribution of boom-time profits over future investment.

The second issue involves shareholders. In principle, the owners of a corporation are its shareholders. Yet little attention appears to have been paid to their interests during negotiations that institutionalized massive employee bonuses tied to operating profits. Shareholders could argue that dividend returns have effectively been reduced, while resources available for future R&D and facility investment have also declined.

The debate expanded further when Kim Young-hoon, minister of employment and labor, publicly referred to the idea of "sharing excess profits." Even the term "excess profits" is controversial. More fundamentally, the notion that the government should intervene in determining how corporate profits are distributed raises questions about compatibility with market principles.

The third issue concerns the balance of power between labor and management. The decisive leverage in Samsung's negotiations was the threat of a strike. The possibility that a union could halt semiconductor production shocked not only management but also the public. Reports suggested direct and indirect losses from a strike could exceed 100 trillion won, yet the union appeared undeterred.

Management clearly bears responsibility for failing to establish a compensation system that employees considered fair. Yet from the beginning, the company faced a negotiation it could hardly afford to lose because any strike had to be avoided at all costs.

When unions are unconcerned about financial damage, reputational harm or broader economic consequences, negotiations naturally tilt in their favor. For that reason, labor laws traditionally limit the condit...

The author is a professor emeritus of physics and astronomy and a former president of Seoul National University.

Samsung Electronics narrowly avoided a strike after reaching a last-minute agreement with its labor union over performance bonuses. Policymakers and the public, who had worried about a disruption at a semiconductor plant central to Korea's industrial base, expressed relief. Because Samsung's memory chips are essential to the rapidly expanding AI industry, foreign media closely monitored the negotiations and quickly reported news of the settlement. It may have been the first time developments at a Korean company drew such intense global attention, reflecting the country's growing role as a major player in the world economy.

Yet once the negotiations ended, broader questions quickly emerged, suggesting that the agreement was only a temporary compromise rather than a fundamental solution.

One criticism came from shareholders. They argued that surplus corporate profits belong not to employees, who receive guaranteed wages regardless of corporate performance, but to shareholders who invested while bearing the risk of failure. From the perspective of capitalism, the argument carries some logic.

Others questioned whether Samsung's massive profits were truly the result of the company's efforts alone. Over many years, the government supported the semiconductor industry through infrastructure investments such as roads and electricity, while also funding advanced work force training and national research and development programs. Some also argued that subcontractors providing high-quality services at low cost deserved a share of the gains. Critics countered that such issues should be addressed through taxation and corporate contracts, but many still sympathize with those concerns.

The dispute began after forecasts suggested Samsung Electronics could post more than 300 trillion won ($200 billion) in operating profits this year due to global investment in AI infrastructure. That figure is more than 40 percent of Korea's national budget and is roughly five times Samsung's previous record operating profit. Employees naturally wanted a portion of the gains and demanded bonuses tied to operating profits, following models adopted by competitors.

However, the potential payouts — reportedly as high as 600 million won for some semiconductor division employees — triggered broader concerns about fairness. Many questioned whether it was reasonable for workers at a single company to receive payouts that ordinary small-business employees could not earn even after a decade of work. Skepticism deepened because the profits did not stem from a dramatic technological breakthrough unique to Samsung, but rather from a favorable industrial cycle fueled by global AI demand.

In many ways, the dispute may represent an early sign of future conflicts to come. The strike threat and its aftermath can be seen as a "future that arrived early," not a one-time event. As AI industries expand, economic cycles are likely to fluctuate more rapidly, while the winner-takes-all nature of the technology sector may concentrate enormous profits in a small number of companies.

Today, global AI development is led by major technology firms, but many analysts predict that only a few dominant companies will ultimately survive. When competition narrows and markets become concentrated, an important question emerges: Will those firms distribute their profits fairly across society? Under current social norms and institutions, the answer may well be "no." The behavior of some technology leaders, including Elon Musk, suggests that the pursuit of immense wealth and influence often outweighs broader social concerns.

That reality points toward the need for institutional reform. Existing systems were designed around economic structures and social conditions of the past. But the AI era is likely to transform society in ways fundamentally different from earlier industrial changes....