Technology leaks will remain a problem for Seoul

Significance

The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), the country’s national patent authority, introduced a set of enforcement measures to bolster these efforts, building on previous initiatives. The announcement comes amid high-profile cases, including the recent re-arrest of Choi Jinseog, a former Samsung executive already on trial for allegedly stealing proprietary semiconductor data and now facing additional charges for similar activities.

Impacts

• South Korean chipmakers’ major China investments, which they resist ending despite US pressure, make industrial espionage an ongoing risk.
• Besides the international dimension, technology leaks continue domestically since the perpetrators tend to be commercial rivals.
• As Seoul leads in technology innovation, Pyongyang will increasingly target South Korean intellectual property through cyber attacks.