Samsung Factory Riot: Worker Conflict In Vietnam Leaves 13 People Injured

Thirteen workers were left injured after a riot broke out at the site of Samsung’s latest factory on Thursday.

Samsung’s $3.2 billion high-tech factory complex is being constructed in Thai Nguyen province, Vietnam. The conflict sparked after a disagreement between construction workers and security guards over safety protocols at the site, Samsung said in a statement. Reports indicate that one worker attempted to enter the construction site through an unsanctioned door after coming to work late, and was then beaten by guards. Subsequently, the riot ensued, during which motorbikes and containers housing security guards were set on fire. Supposed video of the riot was shared on YouTube, from which fire and smoke can been seen while construction workers watched.

According to Nguyen Nhu Tuan, director of the provincial police, the melee took about four hours to be contained. Among the 13 workers injured, four of them were critically hurt.

"We will do our utmost to prevent any such incidents from recurring in the future," Samsung said in a statement. According to the Korean manufacturer, the construction site was not affected by the riot.

Vietnam is now a popular location for manufacturers to set up production due to its labor costs, which are notably lower than those in China. This has attracted the likes of Intel and Nokia in addition to Samsung; many companies are offered tax breaks in order to move their electronics facilities to the country, the AP reports.

The factory being built is Samsung’s second in Vietnam; the first is a $2.5 billion facility located in the northern Bac Ninh Province’s Yen Phong Industrial Zone, and produces mobile phones and tablets.

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