Local employees of Samsung Electronics America have reportedly established a political action committee in the United States in the run-up to the presidential and congressional elections in November, industry sources said Monday.

Samsung Electronics America Inc. PAC officially registered with the Federal Election Commission earlier this year and has so far raised $17,000, they said.

A PAC is an organization that pools campaign contributions and donates the funds to candidates that they support. Most PACs represent business, labor or ideological interests.

"Only Americans can set up a PAC and Samsung Electronics America Inc. PAC was voluntarily set up by American employees," said a Samsung official on the condition of anonymity. "The committee has no relations with the firm itself."

It marks the first time for a South Korean firm to establish a PAC in the U.S. (Yonhap)