Fired Samsung worker ends yearlong aerial tower protest

SEOUL: A fired Samsung worker ended an aerial protest that lasted almost a year atop a 82-foot high tower in Seoul, after reaching a settlement with the South Korean conglomerate.

Kim Yong-hee, 60, says he was fired by Samsung back in 1995 for trying to set up a labour union.

After spending more than two decades demanding Samsung’s apology and reinstatement, he last year climbed up the traffic camera tower in Gangnam district, near the office building of Samsung Electronics.

He stayed there for 354 days, relying on supporters to bring him bento meals and supplies of clothes and phone batteries, which he hoisted up from the ground by rope.

After reaching an undisclosed settlement with the firm on Thursday, Kim returned to the ground on Friday evening in presence of well-wishers, who gave him a bouquet of flowers as he landed.

Kim told AFP that he lived on top of “such a small space that I could not even stretch my legs.”

“I suffered panic disorder and had to constantly fight the urge to jump off. I hope Samsung will now really guarantee all union activities of all employees,” he added.

Kim’s decision to end his protest came weeks after Samsung heir Lee Jae-yong, currently on trial over corruption charges, apologised for the firm’s previous “no labour union” policy that lasted for decades until last year.

Lee Sang-hoon, the former chairman of Samsung Electronics, was also jailed last year for sabotaging union activities.

The firm apologised to Kim in a statement for “failing to promptly solve the issue”. — AFP