Samsung Electronics Seocho office (photo = Yonhap news)

 

[Alpha Biz= Reporter Kim Jisun] A former executive and a senior researcher accused of leaking Samsung Electronics' core semiconductor technology to China have been arrested.

On the 6th, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency's Industrial Technology Security Investigation Division announced that it had arrested Choi (66), a former executive at Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, and Oh (60), a former senior researcher at Samsung, on charges of violating the Industrial Technology Protection Act and the Unfair Competition Prevention and Trade Secret Protection Act.

The two are accused of illegally leaking over 700 technical documents related to Samsung's independently developed 20-nanometer DRAM semiconductor process from 2014. These documents were allegedly used in the product development of Chengdu Gaojin, a Chinese company.

Choi is said to have established Chengdu Gaojin in 2021 with investment from the city of Chengdu, while Oh reportedly served as an executive at the company.

Earlier, in January, the police applied for an arrest warrant for Oh, but it was dismissed. After conducting supplementary investigations, the police reapplied for arrest warrants for both Choi and Oh.

The Seoul Central District Court issued the warrants, citing concerns over the possibility of them fleeing.

 

 

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