A Chinese national, identified as A, is embroiled in a legal battle over allegations of leaking SK Hynix’s core semiconductor technology to Huawei. The case, which has significant implications for the tech industry and international relations, saw its first appeal hearing on Jan. 22 at the Suwon High Court’s Criminal Division 2-1, presided over by Judges Kim Min-ki, Kim Jong-woo, and Park Kwang-seo.
A joined SK Hynix in 2013, where she was responsible for analyzing semiconductor design defects. In 2020, she was dispatched to the company’s Chinese subsidiary, where she served as a team leader for business-to-business customer consultations until 2022. Upon her return to Korea in June 2022, A joined Huawei, reportedly with a higher salary than her previous position.
The controversy began when A was accused of printing and leaking over 3,000 pages of documents related to solutions for process issues in implementing SK Hynix’s core semiconductor technology to Huawei. The first trial court found her guilty and sentenced her to one year and six months in prison.
During the appeal hearing, A’s attorney argued that the defendant did not leak any national core technology or trade secrets. “The prosecution has not specified the method or date of the alleged leak. B was with the defendant until the last day of work and can testify about their activities. If the defendant had engaged in any suspicious activities, such as printing something, B would have inevitably noticed,” the attorney stated. The defense has requested B, a former colleague of A at SK Hynix, as a witness to support their claim.
The case highlights the broader issue of industrial espionage and technology leaks, particularly in the highly competitive semiconductor industry. SK Hynix, a South Korean semiconductor supplier, is one of the largest in the world, specializing in memory chips and other semiconductor technologies. Huawei, a Chinese multinational technology company, has faced scrutiny and sanctions from various countries, especially the United States, over concerns related to national security and intellectual property theft.
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