[Edaily Reporter JAEMIN SONG ] SamsungElectronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee sent gifts of encouragement and letters of appreciation to Samsung employees and their families who are maintaining operations at business sites in the Middle East despite the unstable political situation. Chairman Lee, who views the Middle East as a key hub for future business and has been personally inspecting sites there, has translated his global on-site management approach into support for employees.

On the 16th, Samsung announced that it had delivered gifts of encouragement to 730 employees of its affiliates stationed in nine Middle Eastern countries—including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Iran, Iraq, Israel, Qatar, Jordan, Kuwait, and Bahrain—as well as their families.

Employees working overseas received local gift cards worth between 3 million and 5 million won, depending on the conditions in each country. Families residing in South Korea were given Onnuri gift cards worth between 2 million and 3 million won, which can be used at traditional markets and local small businesses.

In a letter accompanying the gifts, Chairman Lee stated, “Your passion and dedication in quietly fulfilling your duties despite difficult conditions serve as a great example to us all,” adding, “I am deeply grateful for the sense of responsibility and effort you demonstrate in your respective roles.”

He went on to emphasize, “The company always places your safety and health as its top priority.” This reflects the company’s commitment to addressing the hardships faced not only by local employees but also by their families residing both domestically and abroad, amid ongoing military tensions and uncertainty in the Middle East.

Chairman Lee views the Middle East as a key region for identifying future growth opportunities and has consistently visited major business sites in person. Following his 2019 visit to the Riyadh Metro construction site in Saudi Arabia, he visited the Barakah nuclear power plant construction site in the UAE in December 2022—shortly after assuming the chairmanship—to review project progress and medium- to long-term strategies.

During the 2023 Chuseok holiday, he also made consecutive visits to the SamsungElectronics R&D Center in Israel, the TV and tablet manufacturing plant in Egypt, and the Neom mountain tunnel construction site in Saudi Arabia. At the time, Chairman Lee encouraged local employees, stating, “The Middle East is a treasure trove full of opportunities to develop future growth engines and showcase innovative technologies.”

In March of this year, following Chairman Lee’s suggestion, Samsung also delivered gifts and letters to approximately 500 employees and their families working in three Middle Eastern countries—the UAE, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia. This time, the program has been expanded to include 730 people across nine countries.

Employees of Samsung affiliates are working in the Middle East on projects ranging from the construction of energy plants—such as artificial intelligence (AI) data centers and nuclear power plants—to collaboration on information technology (IT) businesses, including mobile devices and home appliances. Along with expanding its business in the Middle East, Samsung plans to continue its efforts to support the safety and working conditions of its expatriate staff.