TAIPEI -- Foxconn's founder insists the rash of worker suicides at the company's China campuses were not the EMS/ODM's doing.

During Hon Hai's (Foxconn's trading name) annual shareholders' meeting, founder and chairman Terry Gou said the outbreak of suicides reflected the sheer number of workers -- estimated at more than 1 million -- the company employs, and were not the result of poor working conditions.

Gou claimed some of the deaths resulted from monotonous work, but "90%" were brought about by "personal relationships or because of family disputes.”

More than 18 suicides have been reported on or near Foxconn's massive campuses in China.