Selection of 10 Companies with Technology Infringement Damage and Core Technologies, Customized Support Provided
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] The Foundation for Large, Small, and Medium Enterprises and Agriculture-Fishery Cooperation announced on the 27th that it will foster small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with the highest level of technology protection capabilities in Korea to prevent technology infringement and leakage.
The Foundation, together with the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, will select 10 SMEs that have suffered technology infringement or possess core technologies and sign a technology protection business agreement (MOU) for customized support.
The 10 selected SMEs will receive support across all aspects of technology protection, including security diagnosis, vulnerability improvement, and security system establishment. Through this, they are expected to acquire technology protection capabilities exceeding those of large corporations. After receiving customized support in the second half of this year, the 10 companies will undergo a technology protection certification review, and those scoring 75 points or higher will be designated as technology protection leading companies.
Currently, many SMEs lack the capacity to protect core technologies due to limitations in specialized personnel and costs. According to a technology protection status survey conducted by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups, the technology protection capability of SMEs is 48.6 points, about 70% of that of large corporations. Among them, a significant number showed inadequate security systems, such as internal employee leakage (45.7%) and network security incidents (17.1%). Recently, 25.9% responded that they are vulnerable to security due to the non-face-to-face management environment caused by COVID-19.
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups has been implementing the ‘SME Technology Protection Leading Company Development Program’ since this year to discover and foster exemplary SMEs in the field of technology protection. The Foundation performs the support tasks.
The first pilot project recruitment this year recorded a competition rate of 5.4 to 1. The Foundation selected 10 companies, including Hongseong Precision and Gosan Tech, after reviewing damage experience, possession of core technologies, willingness for technology protection, and expected effects.
The selected companies possess new technologies in fields such as next-generation automobiles, bio, secondary batteries, and big data. Additionally, they are SMEs holding core technologies in related industries, having been selected as small and medium-sized materials, parts, and equipment (SoBuJang) and global small giants.
Before the agreement, the Foundation conducted a preliminary diagnosis to establish security systems, manage technology assets, and build security systems, identifying vulnerabilities and areas for improvement. Based on this, the selected companies will receive one-on-one intensive technology protection support from the Foundation.
Lee Hyungwook, CEO of Hongseong Precision, one of the selected companies, said, “I had a harrowing experience where technology leakage almost occurred during a transaction,” adding, “Taking this opportunity to actively improve security vulnerabilities and be recognized as a technology protection leading company will also help in domestic and international business contracts.”
Kim Sooncheol, Secretary General of the Foundation, stated, “Since SMEs have limitations in independently acquiring technology protection capabilities, systematic support is important,” and added, “We will spread the atmosphere for many SMEs to practice technology protection through the success stories of leading companies.”
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