A former Samsung Electronics executive who diverted domestic semiconductor personnel to China and received a bribe worth hundreds of millions of won in return has been indicted while in custody.
On the 20th, the Information Technology Crime Investigation Division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office (Chief Prosecutor Andong Geon) indicted Choi, a former Samsung Electronics executive, on charges of violating the Employment Security Act and the Act on the Regulation of Concealment of Criminal Proceeds. Choi is accused of arranging for key personnel from major domestic semiconductor companies to transfer to Chinese semiconductor companies and receiving a referral fee worth about 300 million won in return.
Choi is a former Samsung Electronics executive. Previously, Choi worked as an advisor at the Korean office of Jinsemi, a Chinese semiconductor company established by Choi Jin-seok, a former executive of Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix who is currently detained and on trial for leaking national core technologies. At Jinsemi's request, Choi arranged for key technical personnel from Samsung Electronics in Korea to transfer to Jinsemi and reportedly received 20% of the transferees' annual salaries as a referral fee.
Amid ongoing discussions in the National Assembly regarding amendments to the Industrial Technology Protection Act to punish acts of introducing, arranging, or enticing technology leaks, this case marks the first instance where a pretrial detention warrant was issued for personnel transfers with the actual purpose of technology leakage. Oh, a former Samsung Electronics employee who actually transferred to Jinsemi through Choi, is also detained and on trial for leaking national core technologies along with Choi Jin-seok. This confirms that the personnel Choi arranged to transfer to China actively participated in technology leakage crimes.
Considering the gravity of the matter, the prosecution cooperated from the police investigation stage and detained Choi. After receiving the case from the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, additional investigations led to further charges of violating the Act on the Regulation of Concealment of Criminal Proceeds. During this process, Choi was also found to have issued false electronic tax invoices, and a report was filed with the National Tax Service.
A prosecution official stated, "We will respond strictly to technology leakage crimes that threaten the national economy."
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