SEOUL, May 8 (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics' union said on Friday it will enter a mediation process with the company on May 11 and 12 over a wage dispute that has threatened to escalate into a full-blown strike at the company.
If dissatisfied with the outcome of the mediation, the union said in a statement it was prepared to go ahead with a planned general strike.
Unions at the chipmaking giant have been taking industrial action in a bid to secure a bonus increase and have threatened to strike for 18 days from May 21.
Negotiators from the union, management and the government met on Friday, with Labour Ministry officials pledging "full support" for talks between the two sides, the union said.
Shares of Samsung Electronics jumped 2.6% in after-hours trading in Seoul.
Samsung Electronics and the Labour Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Earlier this week, Samsung's board chairman called upon the unionised workers to resolve pay disputes with management, warning that a planned strike could have "serious consequences" for the Korean economy.
(Reporting by Hyunjoo Jin and Heekyong YangEditing by Ed Davies)
