Prosecutors Indict Hyundai Researcher Without Detention for Leaking Core Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle Technology

Leaking GDL Technology to Hyundai Motor's 'Tier 1 Supplier' for Reemployment
Supplier Employees Transmit and Apply Technology to 'American Company'

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Kyung-jun] A senior researcher at Hyundai Motor Company and employees of Hyundai's first-tier supplier have been prosecuted for leaking core hydrogen fuel cell vehicle component technology overseas. Hyundai Motor holds industry-leading technology in the global hydrogen fuel cell vehicle market, having been the first in the world to mass-produce hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.

The Suwon District Prosecutors' Office Defense Industry and Industrial Technology Crime Investigation Division (Chief Prosecutor Park Jin-sung) announced on the 8th that it has indicted senior researcher A and first-tier supplier employees B and C of Hyundai Motor without detention on charges of leaking Hyundai's hydrogen fuel cell core component technology overseas (violation of the Industrial Technology Protection Act, etc.).

A is accused of leaking one sample of the Gas Diffusion Layer (GDL), jointly developed by Hyundai Motor and domestic GDL manufacturer E, to company B while preparing to rejoin D, a first-tier supplier of Hyundai Motor, after retiring in August 2020. B and C are suspected of disclosing this information to company F in the United States.

The GDL is a core component of hydrogen fuel cells that diffuses reactants hydrogen and oxygen and discharges generated water within the hydrogen fuel cell system that produces electricity through the chemical reaction of hydrogen and oxygen. The GDL accounts for about 20% of the total cost of the fuel cell.

Additionally, on September 18, 2020, A leaked five GDL samples of Hyundai Motor and E to company D; these samples were found to contain metal additives with varying concentrations, a first attempt by Hyundai Motor. Furthermore, on November 25, 2020, A also leaked a GDL specification comparison table and additive concentration information of Hyundai Motor and E to company D.

Prosecutors' investigation confirmed circumstances where company F applied the core technology leaked by A and others from Hyundai Motor and E to their own GDL.

Since mass-producing the first-generation hydrogen fuel cell vehicle in 2013, Hyundai Motor launched the second-generation hydrogen fuel cell vehicle in 2018 and has invested enormous resources, including 70 dedicated R&D personnel and 55.6 billion KRW in R&D expenses, to develop the third-generation hydrogen fuel cell system and its core technologies.

Currently, the second-generation hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in mass production by Hyundai Motor use GDL from a German company; however, domestic production was successfully achieved in 2020, and E's products were scheduled to be applied to the third-generation system. Hyundai Motor, which was developing 99% of hydrogen fuel cell parts domestically, had the GDL as the last 1% core component not yet localized. Considering its importance, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy designated GDL technology as advanced technology in the fuel cell vehicle sector.

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