Among South Korea's National Core Technologies, Semiconductors Are the Most Leaked Overseas

Assemblyman Song Ki-heon: "Institutional Improvements Must Follow to Eradicate Industrial Spies"

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Sun-mi] It has been revealed that among the national core technologies and industrial technologies designated and managed by the government, the leakage of semiconductor-related technologies overseas has been increasing every year, accounting for the largest portion. Calls for institutional improvements to eradicate industrial espionage are growing louder.

On the 28th, Song Ki-heon, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, announced that after analyzing data received from intelligence agencies and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, a total of 36 cases of national core technologies and 109 cases of industrial technologies were leaked overseas in the past five years (2018 to August 2022). National core technologies are those that, if leaked overseas, could seriously harm national security and the development of the national economy, and are designated and managed under the Act on the Prevention and Protection of Industrial Technology Leakage along with industrial technologies.

By industry, the number of detected overseas leak cases was highest in the semiconductor sector for both national core technologies and industrial technologies. In the semiconductor field, 8 cases of national core technologies and 23 cases of industrial technologies were detected. Following this were industries such as shipbuilding, display, electrical and electronics, and automobiles, sectors in which South Korea is globally recognized.

By scale, in the case of national core technologies, leaks of technologies owned by large corporations totaled 22 cases, more than those of small and medium-sized enterprises (11 cases) and others such as universities and research institutes (3 cases). Conversely, for industrial technologies, leaks of technologies owned by small and medium-sized enterprises (65 cases) were more frequent than those of large corporations (35 cases).

So-called ‘industrial spies’ who smuggle national core technologies overseas are reported to investigative agencies at a rate of about 400 people annually, but actual cases receiving prison sentences are relatively few. Among a total of 88 cases tried over the past five years on charges of ‘industrial espionage,’ only 4 people (4.5%) were sentenced to imprisonment for violating the Act on the Prevention and Protection of Industrial Technology Leakage.

Lawmaker Song Ki-heon emphasized, “National core technologies are crucial enough to determine the nation’s survival and future, but the penalties for violations are at a low level,” adding, “Since the overseas leakage of national core technologies is tantamount to leaking national wealth, stronger legal punishments should be enforced, such as raising the limits on liability for damages.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.