Lee Visits Samsung Youth Software Academy
Urges Chairman Lee to "Lead Korea's Economic Growth as a Driving Force"
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, met with Lee Jae-yong, Chairman of Samsung Electronics, on the 20th and said, "When companies do well, the country does well, and when Samsung does well, those who invested in Samsung also prosper," adding, "Please continue to play a leading role in driving our country's economic growth as you have done so far." Lee made these remarks during an on-site meeting held at the ‘Samsung Youth Software Academy’ (SSAFY) in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, that morning.
Attending the meeting from the Democratic Party were Lee Jae-myung, Jin Sung-jun, Chair of the Policy Committee, Cho Seung-rae, Chief Spokesperson, Lee Hae-sik, Chief Secretary to the Party Leader, and Kim Tae-seon, Chief of the Party Leader’s Executive Office. From Samsung Electronics, Chairman Lee and other executives were present.
Amid talks of a possible early presidential election, the official meeting between Lee, a leading opposition presidential candidate, and the head of the country’s top business group attracted attention from political and business circles. Particularly, there is interest in whether progress will be made on key issues such as the ‘Semiconductor Special Act,’ which centers on whether semiconductor R&D workers will be exempt from the 52-hour workweek regulation, following this meeting.
This meeting was arranged after Lee proposed Samsung as one of his corporate visit destinations. The Democratic Party explained that this was part of his pro-business approach. Emphasizing ‘pragmatism,’ Lee has been steadily increasing contact with the economic and industrial sectors, including a meeting with Ryu Jin, Chairman of the Korea Economic Association, earlier this month on the 5th.
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea (right), is attending an on-site meeting to support youth employment at the Multicampus Yeoksam SSAFY Seoul Campus in Gangnam-gu, Seoul on the 20th, greeting Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong who came out to the lobby to welcome him. 2025.3.20 Photo by Kim Hyun-min
During his meeting with Chairman Lee, Lee Jae-myung stressed the role of companies, saying, "When the economy is very difficult as it is now, people's lives become hard." He added, "Although the outlook for the international competitiveness of domestic large corporations is not good in a world of intensified global competition, through overcoming these difficulties, a great industrial ecosystem can be created, and many people can share the fruits and build a new world together."
Lee also said, "The government's most important role is to create hope for the people," and expressed gratitude, saying, "I appreciate Samsung putting all its capabilities into opening new paths for young people seeking new opportunities."
In response, Chairman Lee said, "SSAFY is not just a simple social contribution but a place established with the mindset of investing in the future of the youth, who are truly the future of Korea," adding, "Today, the SSAFY trainees and the young people who will carry the future of Korea and AI will gain great strength from Lee’s visit. Thank you for visiting."
SSAFY is a corporate social responsibility (CSR) program operated by Samsung Electronics in cooperation with the Ministry of Employment and Labor to support youth employment. It provides young people with intensive education and collaborative projects totaling 1,600 hours over one year, eight hours a day, to train developers who can be immediately deployed in the field. Among the graduates from 2019 to 2024, about 7,000 have been employed at over 1,700 companies domestically and abroad.
Lee Jae-myung, leader of the Democratic Party of Korea, and Lee Jae-yong, chairman of Samsung Electronics, are applauding at the "Youth Employment Support On-site Meeting" held on the 20th at the Samsung Youth Software Academy (SSAFY) in Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul. 2025.3.20 Photo by Kim Hyun-min
Lee and Chairman Lee also held a private meeting. It was explained that no specific topics were set in advance. However, it is believed that active support measures for young people struggling to find employment amid the economic crisis were included in the discussion.
There is also a high possibility that the Semiconductor Special Act, one of the biggest issues in the industry, was on the table. The Semiconductor Special Act is a bill aimed at strengthening semiconductor competitiveness through government infrastructure support and regulatory easing. The ruling and opposition parties have shown differing positions on a special provision that exempts R&D workers from the 52-hour workweek, causing difficulties in passing the law. The semiconductor industry argues that flexible working hours are necessary to secure product competitiveness. Other discussion topics likely included responses to the increased uncertainty in the industry caused by the ‘Commercial Act Amendment’ passed by the opposition-led National Assembly plenary session on the 13th and the tariff policies of the second Trump administration.
Meanwhile, this is not the first time Chairman Lee has met with a prominent politician. In January 2019, then-Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon visited Samsung Electronics’ Suwon plant to discuss Samsung’s 5G communication equipment production plans. In 2021, then-Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum met with then-Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong at the SSAFY campus, where they discussed creating 30,000 youth jobs.
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