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Roads near Samsung's Pyeongtaek campus to be closed Thursday due to rallies

Published: 22 Apr. 2026, 19:36

Members of the Samsung Group-wide union hold a press conference in front of Samsung Electronics’ office in Seocho District, southern Seoul, on April 17. [YONHAP]

Major roads near Samsung Electronics’ Pyeongtaek campus will be fully closed for the better part of Thursday as tens of thousands of union members are expected to stage a large-scale rally, police said.

Vehicle access on an eight-lane road running between the campus’ office complex and Office Building 3 will be blocked in both directions starting in the morning, according to the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency.

The exact timing of the closure will depend on how long organizers take to prepare for the rally, which is likely to feature a temporary stage.

More than 30,000 union members are expected to attend the demonstration, which will begin with a preliminary gathering from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m., followed by the main rally from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Organizers plan a range of programs, including solidarity speeches, video screenings and coordinated shouting of slogans and placard waving.

Police said they will deploy riot management units and patrol officers to manage traffic and maintain order. They advised Samsung Electronics employees and drivers traveling through the area to use alternative routes.

A smaller counter-rally organized by a group representing the company’s minority shareholders is also scheduled to take place from 10 a.m. the same day.

However, police say there is little risk of a clash between the two groups, noting that turnout for the shareholders’ group is limited to around 20 people and that the event is set to conclude before the union’s main rally begins.

The union leading the protest is the first majority union at Samsung Electronics and has been pushing for changes to the company’s bonus structure.

The possibility of a prolonged general strike at Samsung Electronics is rising following a breakdown in negotiations between labor and management.

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.
BY JEONG JAE-HONG [[email protected]]