S. Korea sees increased tech leaks: report

By Park Bo-ram
SEOUL, June 11 (Yonhap) -- South Korea suffered a jump in attempts to leak
industrial technologies to foreign countries in 2008 amid a prolonged economic
downturn, a private think tank said Thursday.

A total of 42 illegal technology transfers were detected last year, up from 32
the previous year, according to a report by Samsung Economic Research Institute
(SERI).
The number of technology leaks has been on the rise since 26 cases in 2004, said
the think tank affiliated with South Korea's top conglomerate, Samsung Group.
According to the report, the potential damage for each leak is estimated at 1.9
trillion won (US$1.5 billion) last year, up from 1.3 trillion won in 2004.
Technologies for semiconductors and wireless handsets accounted for the bulk of
leak attempts but precision machines and chemical technologies were also
affected, it said.
"The economic downturn made small tech-oriented companies more vulnerable to
illegal technology transfer attempts disguised as mergers and acquisitions or
joint ventures," said Park Sung-bae, a researcher at SERI.
As demand for their technologies slumped due to the economic downturn, employees
of small tech companies attempted to hand them over to foreign companies in
return for money and other incentives, he added.
pbr@yna.co.kr
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