South Korea’s President Lee Jae Myung on Monday urged a balance between labour and management rights as a potential 18-day strike at Samsung Electronics approaches.

In a post on X in Korean, he said labour rights should be respected as much as business interests, while corporate management rights should also be given equal respect.

“Excess is not beneficial; extremes lead to reversal,” he added.

Lee’s comments come amid growing calls from government officials urging Samsung Electronics and its labour union to reach a deal ahead of a planned strike set to begin on May 21.

A final round of negotiations between the union and Samsung Electronics management was scheduled for Monday.

The union is demanding changes to Samsung’s performance-based bonus system, including bonuses equal to 15 per cent of operating profit, the removal of payout caps, and a formalized bonus structure, among other concessions.

Shares of Samsung Electronics rose as much as 6.65% on Monday before trimming gains to around 3 per cent.

South Korean Prime Minister Kim Min-seok reportedly said on Sunday that the government would consider all possible response measures, including “emergency adjustments,” if the planned strike threatens to cause “significant damage” to the economy.

Under South Korean labour law, the labour minister can impose an “emergency adjustment” to suspend industrial action for up to 30 days if a dispute is deemed likely to disrupt the economy or daily life.