South Korea uncovered 107 cases of industrial technology being leaked abroad over the past five years. Semiconductor technology accounted for 40 of them, or 37% of the total, and 31 cases involved national core technologies tied directly to the country's competitiveness.
The National Intelligence Service detected the 107 cases between 2021 and 2025, according to data submitted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to Koo Ja-keun, a lawmaker of the People Power Party who sits on the National Assembly's Trade, Industry, Energy, SMEs and Startups Committee. The figures were released on the 27th. Detections held near 20 a year: 22 in 2021, 20 in 2022, 23 in 2023, 23 in 2024 and 19 in 2025.
By sector, semiconductors led with 40 cases, followed by displays with 21, electrical and electronics with 10, autos with seven and shipbuilding with six. By company size, cases involving small and medium-sized enterprises totaled 64, about twice the 33 cases at large companies. Another 10 cases were detected at universities and research institutes.
Leaks of national core technologies came to 31 cases. Semiconductors again ranked first with nine, while displays and electrical and electronics each accounted for five.
Over the same period, the Korean National Police Agency referred 230 people to prosecutors in connection with 77 industrial technology leak cases, 41 of which involved leaks abroad. Prosecutors brought 74 of 95 cases of alleged violations of the Act on Prevention of Divulgence and Protection of Industrial Technology to trial.
"Countries around the world are moving aggressively to protect core technologies by toughening penalties for industrial technology leaks and easing the requirements for proving them," Koo said. "Korea also needs to put in place more comprehensive measures."
