[Anchor]
A former Samsung employee accused of leaking patent-related secrets and receiving about $1 million (approximately 1.33 billion KRW) in kickbacks has been arrested and sent to trial.
Prosecutors warned that the defendants’ alleged crimes could weaken the country’s technological competitiveness.
This is Han Chae-hee.
[Reporter]
Prosecutors have indicted former Samsung employees and executives of a patent-management firm known as an NPE, accusing them of stealing Samsung’s confidential patent information and using it in illicit deals.
They say the intermediary was A, a senior engineer who once oversaw Samsung’s intellectual property management. A was arrested and indicted on charges of accepting $1 million (approximately 1.33 billion KRW) in kickbacks from the NPE and stealing confidential materials.
NPEs—non-practicing entities—profit by enforcing patents and collecting royalties. Investigators say this NPE asked Samsung to enter a licensing agreement, then alleged infringement and obtained internal documents.
When the NPE asserted infringement, Samsung prepared analysis and response materials — and those materials ended up in the NPE’s hands.
Prosecutors compared the situation to knowing an opponent’s hand in a poker game.
\"Domestic companies already spend huge resources on litigation costs and settlements to respond to patent-enforcement firms instead of investing in research and development,\" said Park Kyung-taek, head of the Information Technology Crime Investigation Division at the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office. \"In the U.S., Samsung faces patent lawsuits from NPEs roughly once every four days.\"
Investigators say the NPE used the obtained materials to turn negotiations to its advantage and secured a $30 million (approximately 40 billion KRW) contract.
Among those indicted is another Samsung employee, B, who prosecutors allege knowingly passed confidential materials to A.
Prosecutors say B told A the materials were valuable to the NPE and advised via an internal messenger to demand $5 million (approximately 6.67 billion KRW) or suggested specific amounts to present to Samsung.
Prosecutors criticized the growing number of NPE attacks on domestic companies, calling the offenses particularly severe.
Park warned, \"If we fail to respond effectively to NPEs' illegal actions, our country's key industries — including semiconductors, IT and batteries — risk falling behind in technological competition.\"
The NPE denies the allegations, saying it never used the confidential materials in negotiations.
This is Han Chae-hee for Yonhap News TV.
[Video reporting: Lee Jae-ho]
[Video editing: Kim Hwi-su]
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Han Chae-hee (1ch@yna.co.kr)
