Foxconn apologises over boss's 'animal' comment: report

January 23, 2012

Terry Gou, chairman of Foxconn's Taiwanese parent company Hon Hai Precision

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Taiwan technology giant Foxconn has apologised over comments by chief Terry Gou (pictured in 2010) allegedly comparing workers to animals, according to a report. Gou drew criticism on online news forums and discussion sites after he was quoted by Taiwanese media as saying "I have a headache how to manage one million animals" at the company's year-end party in Taipei Zoo earlier this month.

Taiwan technology giant Foxconn has apologised over comments by chief Terry Gou allegedly comparing workers to animals, according to a report.

Gou drew criticism on online news forums and discussion sites after he was quoted by Taiwanese media as saying "I have a headache how to manage one million animals" at the company's year-end party in earlier this month.

is the largest maker of and assembles products for Apple -- including the -- plus Sony and Nokia. It employs about one million workers in China.

The company issued a statement over the weekend to apologise to "anyone who feels offended" but stressed that Gou's remarks were taken out of context by the media, according to the Taipei-based Now News website.

"Gou is aware that the media reports are misleading and offensive and he apologises to anyone who feels offended. However, Gou did not deliberately slander the workers as some media described," it quoted Foxconn as saying.

Foxconn was not immediately available for comment.

(c) 2012 AFP

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Blaspheyou
Jan 23, 2012

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iPhones (and a lot of other brands, too) are essentially made by slaves. Read the 1/22/12 New York Times article about why Apple prefers Chinese labor. How do you like your cell phone now?
Shifty0x88
Jan 24, 2012

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That's why everyone goes into Asia for manufacturing.... they only have to pay animals and not human beings....

Capitalism is awesome!! (I'm being facetious)
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