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Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong called for unity within his company Saturday as its union plans to begin a major strike next week amid an impasse in wage negotiations. “Now is the time to wisely gather our strengths and move in one direction,” Lee said at Gimpo International Airport in western Seoul after returning from an overseas business trip. “Union members, Samsung family members, we are one body, one family.” Lee said he would take full responsibility and bear the “fierce rain and wind,” while apologizing to the company’s customers and to the public for causing concern over his company’s “internal” matters. “I truly apologize to our global customers for causing worry and concern over our company’s internal issues,” he said, bowing multiple times. Lee’s remarks come after the company’s largest union said Friday it will proceed with the strike despite the company’s proposal to resume talks without preconditions. The 18-day strike is set to begin next Thursday, which could disrupt production at the world’s largest memory chipmaker. The union has said over 46,000 union members