Thank You to The Korea Times for Shedding Light on Discrimination at Samsung

At ILG Legal Office, we are dedicated to fighting for justice for employees who face discrimination and retaliation in the workplace. We want to extend our sincere gratitude to The Korea Times for their thorough and impactful coverage of the lawsuit filed by our client, Andrew Mo, against Samsung Research America (SRA). This case alleges wrongful termination in retaliation for reporting racial discrimination, as well as broader patterns of bias within Samsung’s corporate structure.

As The Korea Times reported, Mr. Mo courageously reported a deeply troubling remark allegedly made by a Samsung executive. Instead of addressing the issue, Samsung terminated Mr. Mo’s employment. The evidence we have gathered—including testimony from multiple witnesses—suggests a pervasive culture of racial bias and retaliation, reaching beyond SRA to Samsung Electronics America and Samsung headquarters in Korea.

A former facilities planner at SRA testified that a Black job candidate was rejected explicitly because of his race, and that non-Black, non-white employees were preferred for lower-level positions while Koreans were favored for leadership roles. A senior HR director at Samsung NEXT further testified that racial discrimination was common and that employees who spoke out were often fired in retaliation. The testimony of these witnesses reinforces what Mr. Mo has argued all along—this is not an isolated incident but a systemic issue.

The court has already rejected Samsung’s attempt to force this case into private arbitration, ensuring that the facts can come to light in a public forum. We are currently seeking to add Samsung Electronics America and Samsung Electronics to the lawsuit as joint employers, given their direct involvement in shaping corporate policies and employment practices.

Mr. Mo previously worked for Google’s Research and Artificial Intelligence division as Chief of Staff, and held additional leadership roles in the domains of AI/machine learning, software engineering, and large-scale data systems. In May 2021, Mo left Google to accept a job at Samsung in the executive management role of “Lab Head” for SRA’s Visual Display Intelligence Lab (VDIL) as a Senior Director and Principal Engineer. VDIL is one of the largest “labs” within SRA’s portfolio, a part of the “Digital Media Solutions” (“DMS”) organization. VDIL’s teams and projects include technology product research and development for consumer electronics segments involving Samsung “Smart TVs” and other smart home products, data and intelligence systems associated with Samsung “Smart TV” usage, and data applied toward Samsung product marketing and Samsung’s advertising subsidiary, “Samsung Ads.”

Calling on Witnesses to Come Forward

If you are a current or former Samsung employee who has experienced or witnessed discrimination or retaliation, we urge you to come forward. Your voice can help expose unlawful employment practices and bring about much-needed change. Confidential consultations are available, and you can reach us at:

Email: [email protected]
Phone: 415-580-2574

Speaking out against workplace injustice is never easy, but it is essential for holding corporations accountable. No one should have to choose between their career and their dignity. If you have any relevant information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

We once again thank The Korea Times for their commitment to investigative journalism and for giving this important case the attention it deserves. We look forward to continuing our fight for justice and ensuring that all employees—regardless of race—are treated with the respect and fairness they deserve.