Samsung, LG experiment with remote working

Samsung Electronics' Seocho headquarters in Gangnam, southern Seoul. [YONHAP]

Samsung and LG Electronics are allowing its employees to work remotely during the latest surge in Covid-19 cases.

While other Korean companies have adopted remote work, the top two electronics manufacturers haven't previously. Only certain groups of employees were allowed to work from home, including employees who are pregnant or have some severe health problem.

Samsung Electronics is accepting requests from employees in the consumer electronics and mobile divisions to work from home during the month of September, the company confirmed Thursday. The device solutions division, which is in charge of semiconductors, was not. Employees working in design and marketing, which can be done from home, are allowed to apply.

“It’s not a full-fledged application [of the concept], but closer to an experiment,” said a Samsung spokesman. “The volume of employees that will work remotely has not been decided.”

LG Electronics said Thursday it plans to allow 30 percent of its office workers across the country to work from home. Employees working in product production are not included.

BY SONG KYOUNG-SON [song.kyoungson@joongang.co.kr]