On Sept. 30, 2025, the UN Human Rights Council’s Special Procedures issued Joint Allegation Letters (JAL) to Samsung Electronics and the governments of South Korea and Việt Nam. The letters allege that Samsung, the flagship of South Korean industry, engaged in “irresponsible chemicals management” and environmental pollution at its facilities in Việt Nam, which may violate fundamental rights to health, safe water, and a clean environment.

While the Samsung PR machinery issues neutered and cherry-picked reports featuring verdant landscapes and promises of a “sustainable future,” the UN correspondence presents a drastically different picture—one of untreated wastewater, toxic fumes, and a corporate culture that skirts environmental regulations and workers’ rights.