Nikkei Asia reported on August 5 that TSMC, the world's largest semiconductor foundry based in Taiwan, has dismissed several employees and initiated legal action on suspicion of leaking trade secrets related to advanced semiconductor technology.
According to sources, the employees in question are suspected of attempting to obtain critical information regarding the development and production of 2nm (1nm = one billionth of a meter) semiconductors. TSMC's 2nm technology is currently the most advanced semiconductor technology in the world and is used in applications such as artificial intelligence (AI) chips. Mass production is scheduled to begin in the second half of this year.
TSMC told Nikkei Asia that "irregularities were detected during routine monitoring, and the possibility of trade secret leakage was identified," adding that the company has disciplined the individuals involved and initiated legal proceedings.
TSMC did not disclose specific details about the technology suspected to have been leaked. It is also unknown where the employees intended to transfer the confidential information. Investigations are ongoing to determine the recipients and scope of the leaked data, as well as whether any additional parties are involved.
TSMC stated, "As the case is under judicial review, we cannot provide further details."
Nikkei Asia reported that this incident could fall under Taiwan's National Security Act, which was revised in 2022 to prevent the overseas leakage of key technologies, including those in the semiconductor sector.
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