Arrest Warrant Issued for Ex-Samsung Official Over Chip Tech Leak

In a significant development, an arrest warrant has been issued for a former Samsung Electronics official accused of sharing semiconductor technology information with a Chinese chipmaker. The Seoul Central District Court confirmed the issuance of the warrant, highlighting South Korea's intensified efforts to combat industrial espionage. The warrant was granted after prosecutors sought legal action against the unidentified official, suspecting their involvement in providing information related to 18-nano DRAM memory chip technology to China's Changxin Memory Technologies (CXMT).

The Seoul Central District Court released a statement on Saturday morning, affirming the judge's decision to issue the warrant. Prosecutors, who had requested the warrant on Wednesday, estimated the potential damage caused by the technology leak to be around 2.3 trillion won ($1.8 billion). The Korea Economic Daily newspaper reported that the case also involves multiple individuals from Samsung Electronics' suppliers.

Samsung, renowned as the world's top memory chipmaker, refrained from making any official comments on the situation. The gravity of the allegations and the potential economic impact make this case a matter of substantial concern within the tech industry.

According to prosecutors, the accused official, who remains unnamed, left Samsung for CXMT in 2016, as reported by local media. However, both the prosecutors and the court declined to comment on whether the individual still works for CXMT. This development adds another layer to South Korea's ongoing efforts to curb the theft of crucial technological information and protect its semiconductor industry, a vital component of the nation's economy.

Prosecutors have not disclosed the full extent of the damage resulting from the alleged technology leak. The case underscores the broader challenges faced by tech companies in safeguarding proprietary information and the constant threat of intellectual property theft.

In response to the accusations, Hefei-based CXMT refused to provide specific comments on the matter but released a statement emphasizing its commitment to respecting intellectual property rights. The statement highlighted the company's robust mechanisms designed to prevent the unauthorized inflow of third-party information from its employees.

This incident comes amid a separate trial in South Korea, where another former Samsung official, Choi Jinseog, is accused of stealing company information to assist a client in establishing a chip factory in China. The defendant, Choi Jinseog, denies the charges and is currently out on bail, contributing to the heightened scrutiny of intellectual property protection in the nation.