English Translation provided by SHARPS (Supporters for the Health And Rights of People in the Semiconductor Industry)

"Samsung's ‘Secrecy’ Hidden in Vietnam Factories" 6 March 2026

SHARPS conducted five on-site inspections in January and February 2026 around the Bac Ninh factory and at four first- and second-tier subcontractors to verify the contents of Samsung's official response. The investigation found that while the Bac Ninh factory, which outsourced toxic processes, showed improvement compared to the past, all four subcontractors operating toxic processes were still found to be in a state of severe air pollution, with a foul stench detected. Evidence was also found that pollution control facilities were not functioning properly, such as solid chemical substances adhering to chimney entrances. Some industrial waste was confirmed to have been dumped in open areas or burned. Evidence was also found that pollution control facilities were not functioning properly, such as solid chemical substances adhering to chimney entrances. Some industrial waste was confirmed to have been dumped in open areas or burned. Essentially, the same problems remained unresolved, merely shifting responsibility from the direct factory to the subcontractors. The UN Special Rapporteurs stated, “Instead of upgrading Bac Ninh's small-scale air pollution prevention facilities, Samsung outsourced the most toxic operations—such as plating, painting, and printing—to subcontractors in 2017 and 2018.” (...)

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Samsung Electronics stated, "We have humbly listened to various concerns. Upon review, we confirmed that a significant portion of the claims raised were inaccurate or had already been addressed. We conduct regular environmental and safety inspections of overseas facilities and suppliers under the headquarters' supervision.“ It added, ”Specifically, SIT Vina (which faced issues over pollutant emissions) is a secondary supplier with a transaction share of about 2% with our primary suppliers in 2022. We were informed by the Vietnamese Public Security Environmental Police Department that there were no violations of regulations. Furthermore, we do not outsource (processes) solely because they involve hazardous work."