Samsung Card, one of the biggest credit card companies in Korea, will create a spin-off in charge of operating its customer service call centers, providing full-time job positions for its 1,300 contract-based employees currently working at the centers, according to news reports.

The credit card subsidiary of Samsung Group has reportedly notified the Financial Supervisory Service of its plan to launch the Samsung Card Customer Service Co.

“The company is in preparation for spinning off the customer service business in January,” said a Samsung Card official, adding, “Increasing memberships and an effort to protect private information of customers are main reasons for setting up the company, which will be more specialized in the relevant fields.”

The spin-off will be wholly owned by its mother company.

Most credit card firms run call centers by hiring temporary workers deployed by agencies or using outside customer service providers. However, other Samsung financial companies, such as Samsung Fire and Marine Insurance Co. and Samsung Life Insurance, run their own subsidiaries for customer service call centers.

“Since more regular workers could put a financial burden on the credit card company, the firm seems to be trying to share the burden and seek efficiency,” an FSS official was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, Samsung Group, in line with government policies to increase employment, recently announced its plan to hire 6,000 contract-based part-time workers who will be given employment benefits similar to those of regular workers.

By Kim Young-won (wone0102@heraldcorp.com)