Lee Jay-yong: "Studying a Foreign Language Is the Way to Learn a Country"... Samsung to Cover Speaking Test Fees for Employees

Full Subsidy for Seven Foreign Language Test Fees Twice a Year
Implementation Begins in June
Aimed at Enhancing Global Competence

Samsung Electronics will fully cover the test fees for seven foreign language speaking tests for its employees.

This measure is interpreted as part of the company's efforts to foster global talent by supporting employees' language proficiency, in line with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jay-yong's longstanding emphasis on the importance of foreign language study.

Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong, who met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, is returning to Korea through the Business Aviation Center at Gimpo Airport in Gangseo-gu, Seoul on March 28, 2025. Photo by Kang Jin-hyung

According to industry sources on May 1, Samsung Electronics announced on April 28 that it will fully subsidize the test fees for up to two attempts per year for a total of seven foreign language speaking tests?including Korean, English, Vietnamese, Russian, Spanish (OPIc), Chinese (TSC), and Japanese (SJPT)?for all employees in the Device eXperience (DX) division.

This policy will take effect starting in June, and employees who wish to participate can apply through the company's internal speaking evaluation website. However, if an employee exceeds the supported number of attempts or is absent from a scheduled test, the test fee will be deducted from their salary.

Samsung Electronics has already introduced and operated tests such as OPIc, TSC, and SJPT, which are recognized externally, within the company. The advantages include lower test fees compared to external testing centers and faster receipt of results. While the scores from these internal tests are not recognized externally, they are automatically reflected in the company's language qualification system and can be used in future evaluations for performance reviews, promotions, or overseas assignments.

This support for test fees appears to be intended to spread and strengthen the global capabilities that Chairman Lee considers important among employees. In February 2023, when meeting with new recruits of the Visual Display (VD) division at Digital City in Suwon, Lee stated, "I regret not studying foreign languages more," and added, "I speak English and Japanese, but I try not to forget them. I also wish I had studied Chinese and French." He further emphasized, "Learning a foreign language is about learning the way of thinking, values, and history of that country, so I hope you will study foreign languages more."

Chairman Lee has also been actively recruiting external talent to strengthen global competitiveness. In August 2023, Samsung introduced, for the first time, a recruitment system for experienced foreign professionals wishing to work in Korea, and in February this year, the company also hired foreign professionals in the R&D sector. Last month, Samsung appointed world-renowned industrial designer Mauro Porcini as its first foreign president in charge of design.

At a seminar for executives in March, Chairman Lee delivered a video message stating, "We must nurture and recruit exceptional talent, regardless of nationality or gender, who are even more outstanding than the management team," and added, "If necessary, personnel changes should be made at any time."