South Korean industrial technology protection

South Korea has taken legislative steps to combat the theft of strategic industrial assets. In September 2026, the government implemented an expanded espionage law that broadens offenses beyond those benefiting North Korea to include any foreign country or organization. This amendment, which carries a minimum three-year prison sentence, specifically targets the protection of sectors such as semiconductors, batteries, displays, and artificial intelligence.

Data released by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy highlights the scale of the issue, revealing 120 cases of industrial technology leakage to foreign entities over the previous five years. Semiconductor technology was the most frequently targeted sector with 45 cases. While most leaks occurred within small and medium-sized enterprises, leaks involving ‘national core technology’ were primarily concentrated in large corporations.

Legislative discussions have also focused on the perceived leniency of existing judicial punishments, as nearly half of those sentenced for violating the Industrial Technology Protection Act received fines or suspended sentences rather than prison time.