Chinese SK hynix worker on trial in South Korea: stole semiconductor tech, gave it to Huawei

A Chinese national who worked for SK hynix is currently on trial for allegedly stealing key semiconductor technology from the South Korean memory giant, giving it to Chinese company Huawei.

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In the report, The Korea Times reports that the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police that a woman in her 30s, a Chinese national, was sent to prosecutors last month on the suspicion of violating the Act on Prevention of Divulgence and Protection of Industrial Technology.

The Chinese national who worked for SK hynix was hired all the way back in 2013, working in the department that handled analyzing defects in semiconductor designs. From 2020 to 2022, she was involved with consultations with business-to-business clients in CHina, according to the police agency.

An SK hynix spokesperson said: "As soon as we realized that (the former employee) had printed the information, we reported it to the investigative agencies, and we are supporting the investigation of the suspect and monitoring the investigation".

An official from the local IT industry told TheKoreaTimes anonymously: "The leakage of semiconductor technology is a serious crime that involves the leakage of information on key national industries and that the government should strengthen its measures to impose stronger criminal penalties on those involved to prevent further leaks".

The Chinese national returned to South Korea in June 2022, moving to Huawei in the same month (come on, now). Before leaving SK hynix, she allegedly printed out over 3000 sheets of documents relating to front-end semiconductor manufacturing technology.

The police suspect that the former SK hynix staffer printed out the documents, carrying them out in bags, but she's of course denying the allegations. The police had an investgation case against her, after they received a report from SK hynix, arresting the Chinese national at the airport once she entered the country last month.