by Oh Yukyo
Published 11 Apr.2023 12:00(KST)
A first corrective recommendation case has emerged against a company infringing on small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) technology.
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups announced on the 11th that it recommended corrective measures, including prohibition of use, against Company A, a competitor that infringed on the core technology related to Infinite Healthcare’s "medical imaging equipment," in accordance with the Act on the Protection and Support of Technology of Small and Medium Enterprises (hereinafter referred to as the SME Technology Protection Act). This is the first time such a corrective recommendation has been issued since the law was amended in 2018. The conclusion was reached after an administrative investigation and consultation with a technology infringement advisory group.
Infinite Healthcare is a company specializing in medical imaging solutions. Company A continued to use the core technology obtained through a contractual relationship without destruction even after the contract ended, using it without authorization. They developed similar medical equipment and sold it to hospitals in the market.
The Ministry recommended that Company A △ refrain from using Infinite Healthcare’s source code and △ refrain from selling or maintaining products made using Infinite Healthcare’s source code. If these recommendations are not followed, the ministry plans to publicly disclose the technology infringement and consider referring the case to relevant agencies. Minister Lee Young of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups stated, “We will announce a government-wide joint plan to strengthen support for startup technology protection within the first half of the year and continuously improve related laws and systems to eradicate ‘technology theft from small and medium enterprises.’”
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