Former SK Hynix employee jailed for 18 months over tech leak to China

A former employee of South Korean semiconductor giant SK Hynix has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for leaking crucial manufacturing technology to a Chinese firm. The Seoul High Court upheld a lower court's decision in an appeal case, confirming the severity of the breach.

The leaked information pertained to CMOS image sensors, a vital technology for modern smartphone and laptop cameras. The court determined that the former employee illicitly obtained classified data on these sensors while stationed at SK Hynix's office in China in 2022. Security protocols were violated as the individual printed out or photographed trade secrets downloaded from the company's internal servers.

According to Yonhap news agency, the employee disclosed some of this sensitive information in a résumé submitted to an unnamed Chinese company. The defendant admitted to all charges. Fortunately, SK Hynix was able to retrieve most of the stolen information, mitigating the potential damage from the leak.