Anchor: Samsung Electronics made a formal apology on Friday to workers who developed diseases or died after working at its semiconductor factories, finally ending a decade-long dispute with the victims. 
Lee Bo-kyung has more.

Report: Samsung Electronics President and CEO Kim Ki-nam acknowledged in a statement Friday that workers and their families had suffered for a long time, and that the company did not work hard enough to relieve their pain and resolve the dispute swiftly. 

Kim said Samsung Electronics also did not fully and completely manage potential health risks at its chip and liquid-crystal display production lines. 

With the apology, Samsung also signed a final settlement with the Supporters for the Health and Rights of People in the Semiconductor Industry(SHARPS), an advocacy group representing victims of work-related diseases, putting an end to the decade-long dispute.

The standoff involving the South Korean tech giant surfaced when Hwang Yu-mi, who worked on a Samsung chip production line, died of leukemia in 2007. 

While victims have been claiming that such diseases are workplace related, Samsung has rejected the claims. 

In a landmark decision to end the long drawn-out case, the two sides agreed in July to accept unconditionally a final settlement produced by a mediation committee. 

Under the settlement signed on Friday, Samsung will pay compensation to the victims of up to 150 million won per person. Along with the compensation, Samsung will donate 50 billion won to the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency to help improve workers' safety and health in the country.

Samsung said the compensation will be carried out by a third party -- Jipyong, a South Korean law firm. The compensation process is expected to begin early January at the latest. 
Lee Bo-kyung, KBS World Radio News.