In South Korea, a former Samsung Electronics executive, Choi Jinseog, was detained on new charges of stealing chip technology. Choi, who previously headed a chipmaking enterprise in China, is now accused of receiving information from Samsung about 20-nanometer DRAM chip process technology. The Seoul Central District Court issued a detention order for Choi on Thursday, citing a flight risk.Choi has been involved in a high-profile industrial espionage case since July 2023 and was arrested and released on bail in November. He has strenuously denied the charges against him. His lawyer, Kim Pilsung, said Choi denied any wrongdoing and maintained that the information he is accused of receiving was publicly available. As of now, Choi has not been formally charged with the new charges.
The case highlights South Korea’s efforts to protect its semiconductor industry and prevent technology leaks to China. Choi was accused of attempting to build a chip factory in China using private information from Samsung in June 2023. Samsung has not commented on the latest developments.
An award-winning engineer, Choi was once considered a leading figure in South Korea’s semiconductor industry. After being released on bail in April, Choi reported that he and a former Samsung employee were under investigation on additional charges related to Samsung’s chip-processing technology.
