[Media Invitation] International Webinar “The Truth Behind Samsung SDI’s Hungary Plant”

Media Invitation

To: Media Outlets
From: SHARPS (Supporters for the Health and Rights of People in the Semiconductor Industry) (Contact: Kwon Young Eun / sharps@hanmail.net) and Korea Transnational Corporations Watch (KTNC Watch) (Contact: Hyunjun Yang / hj.yang.law@gmail.com)
Subject: International Webinar “The Truth Behind Samsung SDI’s Hungary Plant” to Examine Environmental Pollution, Workers’ Health Rights Violations, Community Harm, and Political Collusion by Samsung SDI’s Hungary Plant

1. SHARPS (Supporters for the Health and Rights of People in the Semiconductor Industry)* and Korea Transnational Corporations Watch (KTNC Watch)** will hold an international webinar titled “The Truth Behind Samsung SDI’s Hungary Plant” on 11 June 2026 at 6:00 PM (Korea Standard Time). The webinar will examine a range of issues surrounding Samsung SDI’s battery manufacturing facility in Göd, Hungary, including environmental pollution, violations of workers’ health and safety rights, harms experienced by local communities, and concerns regarding political collusion.
2. Samsung SDI established its battery plant in Göd in 2017 and it’s still operating. Since then, concerns have been raised regarding environmental contamination in the surrounding area and workers’ exposure to hazardous chemicals. The company has also been fined for violations of occupational health and safety regulations.
3. The first presentation will be delivered by Judit Hlavács, an activist with Göd-ÉRT (Association for Göd), a local residents’ organization in Göd. She will discuss issues including water contamination linked to hazardous chemicals such as NMP, occupational illnesses caused by toxic substances, and the vulnerabilities faced by migrant workers. She will also share how local community organizing and advocacy efforts in Göd have contributed to bringing about change.
4. The second presentation will be given by Kwon Young Eun, an activist with SHARPS. Drawing connections to Samsung’s record in South Korea, she will discuss occupational diseases, political collusion, and environmental pollution associated with Samsung’s operations. In particular, she will address workers’ health and safety concerns at Samsung SDI’s facilities in Korea, including excessive noise exposure and exposure to hazardous chemicals. Her presentation will examine how Samsung externalizes risks by relocating operations to countries with weaker regulatory frameworks, while emphasizing the importance of trade unions and the need for mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence (mHREDD) legislation.
5. The final presentation will be delivered by Attorney Shin Yujung of KTNC Watch. She will examine the limitations of Samsung SDI’s ESG disclosures and human rights management policies and argue that South Korea should enact mandatory human rights and environmental due diligence (mHREDD) legislation*** to ensure that Korean multinational corporations fulfill their responsibilities to respect human rights and protect the environment throughout their global supply chains.
6. The presentations will be followed by a question-and-answer session with participants.
7. Simultaneous interpretation subtitles will be provided in both Korean and English. Registration is available through the following link:
   https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Q7v2AIbWTyqZUNg6I77vIw
8. We sincerely invite your interest and coverage.

* SHARPS (Supporters for the Health And Rights of People in the Semiconductor Industry) (https://sharps.or.kr/)

SHARPS is a South Korea–based civil society organization that has worked for nearly two decades to expose occupational diseases and environmental harms in the semiconductor and electronics industries. Since 2007, SHARPS has supported workers and families affected by leukemia and other serious illnesses linked to toxic chemical exposure in semiconductor manufacturing, while advocating for transparency, corporate accountability, and stronger protections for workers.

** Korea Transnational Corporations Watch (KTNC Watch) (https://ktncwatch.org/)

Issues in relation to human rights violations, labor rights violations and environmental destruction have increased along with the increase in the number of Korean multinational corporations. Labor rights violations such as the disbanding of labor unions, delays in wage payments, physical violence are severe and widespread in host countries. There have also been significant environmental issues as well as abuse of rights against indigenous peoples caused by large development projects.

KTNC Watch is made up of human rights, labor, environmental, and public interest law organizations that work together to deal with the various human rights and environmental issues caused by Korean multinational corporations.

*** Mandatory Human Rights and Environmental Due Diligence (mHREDD) legislation

Supply chain due diligence legislation requires companies to identify, prevent, mitigate, and remedy risks of human rights and environmental harm throughout their operations and supply chains. KTNC Watch, together with National Assembly Member Jung Tae-ho, has proposed the Bill on the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment for Corporate Sustainability and is actively campaigning for its enactment.