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Samsung Supplier Accused of Using Child Labor

A new report claims that a Samsung supplier in China hired minors to work 11-hour days.
An attendee looks at the Samsung booth at the 2014 International CES at the Las Vegas Convention Center on January 7, 2014 in Las Vegas.
An attendee looks at the Samsung booth at the 2014 International CES at the Las Vegas Convention Center on January 7, 2014 in Las Vegas.David Becker / Getty Images

A Samsung supplier has been accused of using child labor by China Labor Watch, a not-for-profit watchdog organization. When demand from Samsung increased, Shinyang Electronics in Dongguan, China, allegedly hired minors to work 11-hour days with no overtime pay for periods of three to six months, according to a report released on Thursday. China Labor Watch also accused Shinyang of other violations such as unpaid overtime, poor living conditions and a lack of safety equipment despite the presence of harmful chemicals. In a statement to NBC News, Samsung claimed that it maintains a strict “zero tolerance policy on child labor” and that an audit in March 2013 — followed by third-party inspections in August 2013 and June 2014 — found no cases of child labor. “We are urgently looking into the latest allegations and will take appropriate measures in accordance with our policies to prevent any cases of child labor in our suppliers," the company said.

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