Chip leaks largest portion Korea's industrial espionage cases

Korea's spy agency has detected more than 100 cases of industrial technology leaks overseas over the past five years, with semiconductors accounting for nearly 40 percent of the total, data showed Sunday.

According to data submitted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources to the National Assembly, the National Intelligence Service (NIS) detected 107 cases of overseas industrial technology leaks between 2021 and 2025.

Semiconductor technologies accounted for the largest share with 40 cases, followed by display technologies with 21 cases and electrical and electronics technologies with 10 cases.

Seven cases involved automotive technologies, while six involved shipbuilding technologies.

Of the 107 cases, 31 involved national core technologies, which the government designates as critical to national security and the economy due to their technological and economic value or growth potential.

Semiconductors also accounted for the largest share of leaks involving national core technologies, with nine cases, followed by displays and electrical and electronics technologies, with five cases each, the NIS data showed.

One notable case involved a former Samsung Electronics manager who allegedly leaked the Korean chipmaker's 18-nanometer DRAM manufacturing technology, designated as a national core technology, to Chinese chipmaker CXMT.

Yonhap