On March 27, Samsung Electronics’ Device eXperience (DX) Division held its 2026 Win-Win Cooperation Day at the DoubleTree by Hilton Seoul Pangyo in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, attended by around 120 DX Division executives and representatives of the supplier council (Hyupseonghoe). Photo courtesy of Samsung Electronics
Samsung Group is moving to strengthen win-win cooperation with some 6,700 partners by significantly advancing its payment schedules for transactions and establishing new financial and technical support programs that extend beyond first-tier suppliers to second- and third-tier suppliers. Through this, the group plans to strengthen key supply chains such as semiconductor materials, parts, and equipment, while also taking the lead in contributing to government policies promoting shared growth across the industry.
Samsung announced Saturday that it signed the “Samsung First-, Second-, and Third-Tier Supplier Partnership Pact” containing these terms with its suppliers at Samsung Electronics’ (005930.KS) Digital City in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province. The signing ceremony, held by the Fair Trade Commission (FTC) to strengthen win-win cooperation between large corporations and small and medium-sized enterprises, was attended by about 150 people, including FTC Chairman Joo Byung-ki, Samsung Electronics President Roh Tae-moon, representatives from 11 Samsung Group affiliates, and supplier executives. Samsung Group participants included Samsung Electronics, Samsung Display, and Samsung Electro-Mechanics.
Through this partnership pact, Samsung decided to improve payment conditions for suppliers. To this end, it will pay first-tier suppliers within 10 days after the close of transactions. The aim is to help suppliers improve their cash flow by paying six times faster than the 60-day payment deadline under current law. The company will also make holiday payments early and adhere to principles of cash-based settlement and payments based on a win-win settlement system.
In particular, in line with Samsung’s decision, first-tier suppliers and those below them mutually agreed to pay within 30 days after the close of transactions. By having suppliers join Samsung’s commitment to improving payment conditions, a structure has been created in which the benefits can extend to all second- and third-tier suppliers. Samsung plans to prepare various support measures for companies that join this payment improvement effort, including granting additional points in comprehensive supplier evaluations and expanding win-win fund support and its duration.
Samsung also plans to significantly expand financial and technical support targeting second- and third-tier suppliers. Its 5 trillion won social contribution pledge announced in May this year will include plans to support not only first-tier suppliers but also second- and third-tier suppliers, and to establish and operate an industrial accident fund. By specifying its support policy for second- and third-tier suppliers, the company will expand facility investment, technology development, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) transition support through its 3.5 trillion won win-win fund and ESG fund.
Samsung will support environmental and safety management consulting for second- and third-tier suppliers and will preemptively link fluctuations in energy costs and labor costs to payments. Samsung decided to reflect these terms in the fair trade agreement it will sign with suppliers early next year and to continue complying with them going forward. Samsung expects that a total of some 6,700 suppliers will benefit from this partnership pact.
In addition, Samsung plans to continue expanding its existing win-win activities, such as opening some 2,500 patents free of charge to help suppliers discover future growth engines and supporting workforce development through its “Win-Win Cooperation Academy.” President Roh said, “Samsung exists today thanks to the blood, sweat, passion, and effort of many partner companies,” and pledged, “As a community of shared destiny that grows together, we will build partnerships at a higher level and strive to spread the warmth of win-win cooperation to second- and third-tier partner companies.”
The FTC also plans to actively support the implementation of Samsung’s partnership pact by providing incentives such as granting additional points in fair trade agreement compliance evaluations and selecting exemplary companies in subcontracting transactions for SMEs. Chairman Joo said, “This will be the starting point for establishing a large forest of a healthy corporate ecosystem in which a large company’s achievements are fairly distributed not only to the upper tiers of its cooperation network but also to lower-tier suppliers,” adding, “The FTC will firmly support the efforts of Samsung and its suppliers so they can bear fruit.”