Samsung to create fund for cancer-stricken workers

Tech giant Samsung Electronics Co Ltd said on Monday it will create a 100 billion won ($85.8 million) fund to compensate cancer-stricken workers and their families, and for efforts to prevention such diseases at its chip and display factories.

Samsung stated in a press release the fund will make funds to staff or households of those that turned sick whereas working at its crops, together with contractors.

This will be a win for the families of the 200 workers, but Samsung has made it clear that they are not conceding to a link between the chemicals used in their chips and cancer.

Activist group Sharps brought to light 200 instances of Samsung workers developing health problems, 70% of whom died as a result of them.

Illnesses such as leukemia and lymphoma were attributed by workers, their families and outside experts to prolonged radiation exposure and unsafe chemicals, according to Reuters. Samsung will also hire an outside company to audit its health and safety procedures to help prevent workers from being exposed to risky conditions. It will also finance research to improve worker safety, Samsung said in a statement. Samsung made a significant shift in its stance on this issue by making a public apology to those workers and families in May 2014 and now it has announced that it’s setting up a multi-million dollar fund to compensate them. “We are deeply heartbroken that we failed to do so and express our deep apology”.