Semiconductor technologies, human resources to China
A former senior executive at Samsung Electronics is undergoing investigation over additional suspicions of leaking core semiconductor technologies and human resources to China, officials said on October 25, after being indicted on charges of illegally using factory blueprints and other company secrets.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency is investigating a former vice president of Samsung, a former senior Samsung researcher, a university professor and seven others on charges of violating the industrial technology protection act, the officials said.
The former Samsung executive who was involved in the firm's semiconductor business had already been indicted on charges of illegally acquiring and utilizing blueprints of semiconductor factories and other business secrets of Samsung in collusion with six accomplices from 2018-2019.
He has been additionally accused of transferring Samsung's semiconductor manufacturing technologies to a semiconductor factory in Chengdu, China since 2021, such as those involving temperature and pressure regarding semiconductor production.
He is also suspected of sending hundreds of semiconductor production experts and engineers to Chinese factories via a headhunting firm he established, according to the officials.
The police have searched the homes and offices of the former Samsung executive and other accused individuals, and are conducting an internal probe to determine if the dispatch of the human resources was connected to the suspected technology leak.
"We are currently in the initial stage of the investigation into the case," a police official said. "The number of suspects currently stands at 10, but it could rise down the road."