A Samsung Electronics union staged its first walkout on Friday, signalling more assertiveness among workers just as South Korea's most powerful conglomerate races to catch up in chips used in artificial intelligence (AI).

Samsung Electronics unionized workers staged what they called the first-ever walkout at the South Korean technology giant since it was founded more than five decades ago, taking a day of paid leave en masse.

The South Korean tech giant is at odds with some of its employees as it is trying to reassure investors that its memory chip business can meet demand.

A Samsung Electronics union in South Korea is due to stage on Friday the first walkout at the technology giant, but some analysts did not expect the labour action over pay and conditions to have a major impact on chip production.

National Samsung Electronics Union, which represents tens of thousands of people, is pushing for better wages.

The National Samsung Electronics Union (NSEU), which has about 28,000 members, or more than a fifth of the company's total workforce, has said it will stop work for a day as part of broader protest me