Samsung Electronics (005930.KS) Executive Chairman Jay Y. Lee has sent gifts to 730 Samsung employees posted across the Middle East and to their families, as instability in the region deepens amid war. It marks the second time in seven months that he has reached out to staff in the region, following a similar gesture in March.
Samsung said on the 16th that it had delivered the gifts to 730 employees of its affiliates stationed in nine Middle Eastern countries, as well as to their families. Employees on the ground received gift certificates worth up to 5 million won ($3,500), while families living in South Korea were given Onnuri gift certificates worth up to 3 million won ($2,100).
Family members staying with the employees overseas and those remaining in South Korea were both included. The nine countries covered are Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Qatar, Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain.
Lee also sent a handwritten letter of thanks along with the gifts. "Your passion and dedication in quietly fulfilling your duties under difficult conditions set a great example for all of us," he wrote. "I am deeply grateful for the sense of responsibility and the effort you show in your respective roles." He added, "The company always puts your safety and health first."
It is the second time this year that Lee has moved to encourage employees in the Middle East. In March, also at his suggestion, Samsung delivered support payments worth about 5 million won each, along with letters, to some 500 employees and their families in three countries: the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia.
This time the scope tripled from three countries to nine, and the number of employees covered rose from about 500 to 730. The move is seen as an effort to lift morale among staff on the ground and ease concerns among their families as unstable conditions in the region persist.
The business weight of the Middle Eastern market is also cited as a factor. Employees at Samsung affiliates are involved in building large-scale energy plants across the region, including artificial intelligence data centers and nuclear power plants. In information technology, including smartphones and home appliances, the group is also expanding cooperation with local companies in search of new growth opportunities.
