Samsung Union Strike Notice Raises Chip Supply Concerns Among Apple, HP and Overseas Clients

Concerns are growing among Samsung Electronics’ overseas clients as the date of a planned union strike, May 21, approaches. According to semiconductor industry sources on May 15, major customers including Apple and HP recently asked Samsung Electronics about the likelihood of the strike taking place, the expected scale of any supply disruption, and the company’s response direction. Apple and HP receive memory semiconductors from Samsung for smartphone and PC production. Other big tech companies have also reportedly conveyed concerns over whether memory chip supplies for building and operating artificial intelligence (AI) data centers could be affected. With less than a week left before the planned strike, Samsung has begun adjusting production volumes in preparation for a possible factory shutdown. The company is limiting new wafer input and reorganizing systems so production can continue with fewer workers. Source: rss.donga.com.