South Korean Engineer Arrested at Airport for Attempted Semiconductor Tech Leak (Image supported by ChatGPT)
SEOUL, May 16 (Korea Bizwire) — A former employee of a South Korean semiconductor supplier has been arrested and indicted for allegedly attempting to leak advanced chip packaging technology overseas, police said Friday.
The suspect, a man in his 40s identified only as Kim, was taken into custody on May 9 at Incheon International Airport while attempting to depart for China.
The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s Industrial Technology Protection Division confirmed that Kim has been charged with violating the Unfair Competition Prevention and Trade Secret Protection Act by allegedly trying to transfer high-bandwidth memory (HBM) packaging technology—considered a core competitive asset of South Korea’s semiconductor sector.
Kim previously worked at a company that supplies precision materials to a major South Korean chipmaker. Authorities say he allegedly stole the technology after resigning earlier this year, with the apparent intention of taking it abroad.
The police obtained intelligence that Kim planned to leak proprietary information gained during his tenure and launched an investigation that led to his airport arrest. Following a court-issued detention warrant, he was formally placed in custody and transferred to prosecutors on May 16.
Investigators are continuing to probe whether the technology was successfully transmitted to foreign entities—particularly in China—how Kim attempted the leak, and whether any accomplices were involved.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
