“I simply go to the factories of foreign companies and stop at the gate. Then I ask those who have just left their jobs if they will come to our production lines to do some temporary work, for a little extra money,” he revealed in his own way. In the Financial Times A Chinese business executive made a statement and asked not to be identified.
In the recent period, Chinese efforts to acquire foreign technical knowledge have intensified, especially in this regard, the Chinese are turning to South Korean companies. The already quoted director of the company said that he likes to stop at the outlet of SK Hynix or Samsung.
Chinese companies are turning to South Korean expertise in sensitive areas such as:
- Semiconductors
- electric vehicle batteries,
- screens
- or even shipbuilding.
America can do that
Former South Korean Trade Minister Yu Han-koo has indicated that Beijing’s interest is truly turned to South Korean technology only after the United States begins to act aggressively against Chinese companies applying for American technology and know-how.
The crackdowns launched by the United States on Chinese companies have resulted in these companies increasingly targeting Korean engineers and researchers, through legal and illegal means.
said the former minister.
“Because of the new sanctions imposed by the United States, it has become very difficult to hire people who have studied or worked in the United States. In terms of human resources, Europe, Japan and South Korea have come into the picture as alternatives,” explained a headhunter working in a Chinese foundry.
South Korea also tightened
The National Intelligence Service of South Korea has drawn attention to the fact that in recent years the number of cases in which knowledge considered to be “national core technology” has been leaked has increased.
- In 2017, three
- five in 2018 and 2019,
- In 2020, nine,
- In 2021, ten such cases have already been recorded.
NIS recently published data for the first quarter of 2023: in this period, three leaks were reported, in all three cases from within large companies.
Seoul decided Like Washington He takes the challenge in this case and creates a database of chip engineers working for South Korean companies to track their movements in the domestic and foreign labor markets.
In addition, several new investigative bodies are being deployed to combat leaks, a law has been adopted to toughen the penalties that can be imposed in such cases, and reporting of suspected violations has been facilitated.
So far, Seoul’s efforts appear to be paying off: In the first quarter of 2023, there were twice as many arrests related to technology leaks as there were in the same period in 2022.
The European Union is also willing
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, already in April indicated that the EU does not monitor the leakage of European technology and expertise either.
There is no need to “sever economic, social, political and scientific ties” with China, confirmed.
However, Europe undoubtedly has to reduce the risks that exist in some important and sensitive parts of the relationship
– added the President of the European Commission shortly after his visit to China.
In light of this, the European Commission will publish a regulation containing new guidelines with the aim of making it easier for EU companies to stay in contact with Chinese companies, while effectively protecting European intellectual and technological capital.
