Leak of National Core Technology to China... Display Researcher Arrested and Indicted

Filming Core Confidential Information with Mobile Phone
Translated into Chinese and Delivered to Executives
Estimated Economic Value of 240 Billion KRW

A former researcher from a domestic display company was prosecuted for leaking national core technologies and trade secrets to a Chinese company.

On the 21st, the Cyber Crime Investigation Division of the Seoul Eastern District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Shim Hyung-seok) announced that researcher A (57) was arrested and indicted on charges of violating the Industrial Technology Protection Act and breach of trust.

According to the prosecution, A is accused of leaking trade secrets and core manufacturing technologies obtained while working as a senior researcher at domestic display company B to a Chinese company.

A was in charge of selling B’s Chinese subsidiary to Chinese display manufacturer C in 2021 and worked on this task. In the same year, A moved to company C, and just before the job change, A accessed the work system and illegally photographed 17 trade secrets and manufacturing technologies with a mobile phone. From November of that year to May of the following year, A delivered B’s trade secrets to executives and employees of C’s affiliates eight times.

Prosecutors’ investigation revealed that A secretly negotiated the job transfer with executives of company C before leaving B. A signed an employment contract under the name of a company other than C, requesting that the job change not be disclosed to the current employer.

After supplementary investigations, prosecutors confirmed that A personally translated the materials into Chinese and delivered them to the executives. When the search and seizure began, A shared the investigation status with company B and was promised reimbursement for attorney fees.

A prosecution official stated, "Technology leakage crimes are serious offenses that threaten national security, national competitiveness, and corporate survival," adding, "We will continue to actively respond to eradicate technology leakage crimes that threaten the national economy."