Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong has sent gift packages worth about 5 million won ($3,500) to around 500 employees stationed in the Middle East, as regional tensions following the Iran conflict continue to weigh on expatriate staff, the company said Wednesday.
The recipients include employees from Samsung affiliates working in the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Lee also delivered a video message of encouragement to workers remaining in the region.
“I extend my deepest condolences to employees and their families facing unexpected difficulties due to the situation in the Middle East,” Lee said. “I sincerely thank you for your dedication under challenging conditions.”
Samsung said it had evacuated all personnel from higher-risk areas, including Iran and Israel, shortly after hostilities broke out. In other locations, employees who opted to leave were also relocated, leaving only essential staff to maintain operations under client contracts.
Most of the remaining personnel are affiliated with Samsung C&T and Samsung E&A, supporting large-scale projects such as AI data centers, nuclear power plants and other infrastructure development projects.
Each employee received a choice between a Galaxy Book6 Pro laptop or a bundle including a Galaxy S26 Ultra smartphone and Galaxy Tab S11 tablet, along with traditional market vouchers for family members, most of whom are based in South Korea.
herim@heraldcorp.com
