Is a Samsung Chinese Supplier Hiring Children to Make Products?

Jul 21, 2014 04:27 PM EDT | Matt Mercuro

Production has been stopped "indefinitely" at a Samsung Chinese supplier after the factory was allegedly using child workers.

Samsung claims it stopped doing business with the Dongguan Shinyang Electronics factory, a wholly owned subsidiary of South Korea's Shinyang Engineering Co Ltd, after an audit led to evidence of what the world's largest smartphone maker called "suspected child labor," according to Reuters.

The factory is located in an industrial estate in Chashan, one of hundreds of towns spread across southern China's Pearl River Delta, dubbed the factory of the world.

A senior official, who declined to be named according to Reuters, at parent firm Shinyang Engineering said the factory had been idle since July 14.

The official said Shinyang Engineering had asked the Chinese authorities to investigate the company.

"We hope the problems will be resolved in a speedy manner so that we can resume production soon," the official said, according to Reuters.

No word has been released as to when production will resume.

Senior management at Dongguan Shinyang have declined to speak to the media so far as well, according to Reuters.

"Of course it will take some time for us to get back to normal," the official added.

A number of workers at the plant told Reuters they were "required" to show up for work, but were asked to only to clean machinery and carry out other menial tasks for now until production begins again.

"This factory has especially poor management," said Lai Zhenxiong, a worker, according to Reuters. "I hope we don't end up losing our jobs."

The local government is currently conducting an investigation into the factory, according to a statement on its website.

Authorities have found no initial evidence of child labor at the Shinyang plant, but said the hiring of workers under 16 years of age was "an issue of great concern," according to Reuters.

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