Technology leaks will remain a problem for Seoul

Significance The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), the country’s national patent authority, introduced a set of enforcement measures to bolster these efforts, building on previous initiatives. The announcement comes amid high-profile cases, including the recent re-arrest of Choi Jinseog, a former Samsung executive already on trial for allegedly stealing proprietary semiconductor data and now facing additional charges for similar activities. Impacts South Korean chipmakers’ major China investments, which they resist ending despite US pressure, make industrial espionage an ongoing risk. Besides the international dimension, technology leaks continue domestically since the perpetrators tend to be commercial rivals. As Seoul leads in technology innovation, Pyongyang will increasingly target South Korean intellectual property through cyber attacks.