South Korean president visits Hanwha Q CELLS for role in quality job creation
- 6 years ago
President Moon Jae-in visited a local solar panels manufacturer... Hanwha Q CELLS on Thursday...... to show support ....as U.S. safeguard measures seem set to have a detrimental impact on the local industy.
The president vowed to provide extra support to those hit hard by Washington's move.
Moon Connyoung reports. South Korean President Moon Jae-in's first visit to one of the nation's top ten largest firms: a local manufacturer of photovoltaic solar cells, affiliate of a South Korean conglomerate, the Hanwha Group.
The left-of-center president has been an advocate of the nation's SMEs over large conglomerates, known as chaebols in South Korea... pledging to abandon what he called the country's "chaebol-focused growth strategy."
So the president's visit to this production facility of the solar panel maker, Hanwha Q cells, came as a surprise to many.
"I assume the latest decision by the U.S. to impose safeguard measures on Q-cells and modules will deal a blow to your firm. How big of an impact do you expect?"
"We enjoyed the largest market share in the U.S. last year. This year, we expect our U.S. sales to shrink by 50% from our initial estimates."
The South Korean president was referring to the U.S. President Donald Trump signing into law, last week, a 30-percent tariff on imported solar panels... billed as a way to protect American jobs... but dealing a heavy blow to non-U.S. manufacturers of solar panels... including Hanwha Q CELLS.
"The government will not let go of your hand. We will work with local companies to help minimize any damage from the measure."
Mr. Moon also vowed to speed up the use and development of clean, renewable energy in Asia's fourth-largest economy.
But, the primary reason behind his visit to this conglomerate... the president said... was because Hanwha Q CELLS deserved praise and recognition for its job sharing efforts.
Upon agreement between the management and the labor union, Hanwha Q CELLS recently added 5-hundred new employees to its 15-hundred strong workforce while cutting down the average working hours from 56 to 42 hours per week.
"Should all companies make the kind of efforts that you've made, I believe we will soon be able to achieve our goal of reduced working hours, quality job creation through job sharing, and resolve the issue of high youth unemployment."
Moon Connyoung, Arirang News.
The president vowed to provide extra support to those hit hard by Washington's move.
Moon Connyoung reports. South Korean President Moon Jae-in's first visit to one of the nation's top ten largest firms: a local manufacturer of photovoltaic solar cells, affiliate of a South Korean conglomerate, the Hanwha Group.
The left-of-center president has been an advocate of the nation's SMEs over large conglomerates, known as chaebols in South Korea... pledging to abandon what he called the country's "chaebol-focused growth strategy."
So the president's visit to this production facility of the solar panel maker, Hanwha Q cells, came as a surprise to many.
"I assume the latest decision by the U.S. to impose safeguard measures on Q-cells and modules will deal a blow to your firm. How big of an impact do you expect?"
"We enjoyed the largest market share in the U.S. last year. This year, we expect our U.S. sales to shrink by 50% from our initial estimates."
The South Korean president was referring to the U.S. President Donald Trump signing into law, last week, a 30-percent tariff on imported solar panels... billed as a way to protect American jobs... but dealing a heavy blow to non-U.S. manufacturers of solar panels... including Hanwha Q CELLS.
"The government will not let go of your hand. We will work with local companies to help minimize any damage from the measure."
Mr. Moon also vowed to speed up the use and development of clean, renewable energy in Asia's fourth-largest economy.
But, the primary reason behind his visit to this conglomerate... the president said... was because Hanwha Q CELLS deserved praise and recognition for its job sharing efforts.
Upon agreement between the management and the labor union, Hanwha Q CELLS recently added 5-hundred new employees to its 15-hundred strong workforce while cutting down the average working hours from 56 to 42 hours per week.
"Should all companies make the kind of efforts that you've made, I believe we will soon be able to achieve our goal of reduced working hours, quality job creation through job sharing, and resolve the issue of high youth unemployment."
Moon Connyoung, Arirang News.