[Alpha Biz=(Chicago) Reporter Paul Lee] The Ministry of Science and ICT, which was auditing researchers from the Korea Aerospace Research Institute who were trying to move to a private company, confirmed the technology leak and asked the prosecution to investigate them.

According to the scientific community on the 31st, the Ministry of Science and ICT recently found that four people read certain technical data or removed hard disks from computers inside the Korea Aerospace Research Institute during an audit of researchers who were in the process of retirement to move to a private company.

The audit by the Ministry of Science and ICT began when about 10 researchers joined the move after former director Cho Kwang-rae, who led the development of the Naro, the nation's first space launch vehicle, expressed his intention to retire to move to Hanwha Aerospace on the 12th of last month.

The four people who were found to have leaked the technology were also reportedly planning to move to Hanwha Aerospace. One out of four withdrew their intention to change jobs in the middle of an audit by the Ministry of Science and ICT.

Hanwha Aerospace was selected as a comprehensive company for the repeated launch system of the Korean launch vehicle Nuri in December last year. The system general company will supervise the production of Korean launch vehicles in the future and manage the participating companies in the production of components. From the 4th launch of Nuri, Hanwha Aerospace will receive projectile technology from the Korea Aerospace Research Institute. Hanwha Aerospace is also known to be hoping to participate in the next-generation projectile project, which will cost 2 trillion won over the next 10 years.

The four researchers, who were asked to investigate by the prosecution, are also known to have been studying projectiles.
 

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