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Photo = Yonhap news |
[Alpha Biz= Ryu Jung Min] A Chinese national who was convicted of stealing core semiconductor technologies from South Korea's SK hynix and transferring them to China has received a heavier sentence on appeal.
The Suwon High Court’s Criminal Division 2-1 (Presiding Judges Kim Min-ki, Kim Jong-woo, and Park Kwang-seo) overturned the lower court’s ruling and sentenced the defendant, a 37-year-old Chinese national referred to as “A,” to five years in prison and a fine of KRW 30 million (approx. USD 22,000) for violating the Act on Prevention of Divulgence and Protection of Industrial Technology. The initial verdict handed down a 1.5-year prison term and a KRW 20 million fine.
Court: “Leaked Documents Contain National Core Technologies”
In its ruling, the court stated, “The defendant illicitly removed documents containing SK hynix’s proprietary technologies upon moving to a competitor. These documents represent years of R&D efforts and include national core technology related to semiconductors.”
The court emphasized that the materials held “high technical and economic value, are classified as national core technologies, and contain trade secrets with serious implications for national security and the economy.”
The ruling continued, “Crimes like this threaten the survival of domestic firms and undermine national industrial competitiveness. From a national security standpoint, harsh penalties are warranted. The stolen technologies have not been recovered, and the damage inflicted upon both the company and the Republic of Korea is incalculable.”
Defendant Denied Wrongdoing Throughout Legal Proceedings
According to the ruling, the defendant breached confidentiality obligations during employment at SK hynix and consistently denied the charges, failing to show remorse throughout the trial process. The court also took into account the victim company’s appeal for strong punishment in its sentencing.
“A” joined SK hynix in 2013 and resigned in 2022 to join China’s Huawei. Just prior to leaving the company, the defendant is alleged to have printed approximately 4,000 pages of documents related to semiconductor process troubleshooting, which were classified as trade secrets.
Alphabiz 류정민 기자(hera20214@alphabiz.co.kr)
