SEOUL, May 16 (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics ( SSNLF )

and its South Korean labour union will resume pay

talks on Monday with a government mediator, the union said, in a

move that could ease concerns over a potentially disruptive

strike at the tech giant.

The union said in a statement on Saturday that Samsung

Electronics ( SSNLF ) had replaced the company's representative for the

negotiations, while the two sides would have a separate meeting

later on Saturday.

The union did not elaborate on Saturday's agenda. Samsung

Electronics ( SSNLF ) declined to comment on either meeting.

The announcement came shortly after Samsung Electronics ( SSNLF )

Chairman Jay Y. Lee apologised to customers and the public over

the labour dispute in his first public comments on the issue.

"I sincerely apologise to customers around the world for

causing anxiety and concern due to issues within our company,"

Lee said in his first public remarks on the dispute, adding that

he also "deeply bows in apology to the public".

After pay negotiations broke down this week, the labour

minister met Samsung Electronics ( SSNLF ) management on Saturday and

urged the company to take an active role in resolving the

dispute through dialogue.

South Korean government officials, including the prime

minister and finance minister, have voiced concerns that a

strike at Samsung should be avoided at all costs, warning it

could pose significant risks to economic growth, exports and

financial markets.

The collapse of the government-mediated negotiations

heightened concerns about a strike at the world's biggest memory

chipmaker, whose customers include Nvidia ( NVDA ), AMD

and Google.

The union said on Friday it remained committed to a planned

strike starting next week, even after the company proposed

resuming pay talks without conditions.