A former employee surnamed Kim at the Chinese division of South Korean chipmaker SK Hynix has been indicted on charges of leaking confidential semiconductor technologies, including advanced image sensors and chip packaging techniques, amid an alleged attempt to defect to HiSilicon, a semiconductor subsidiary of Chinese tech giant Huawei.
The Seoul Central District Prosecutor's Office announced that the suspect, identified only by his surname Kim, a South Korean national, was charged with violating South Korea's Act on Prevention of Divulgence and Protection of Industrial Technology. Prosecutors say Kim had accepted a job offer from HiSilicon in 2022 and unlawfully obtained and used trade secrets from SK Hynix during the recruitment process.
At the heart of the case are two key technologies: CMOS image sensors (CIS) and hybrid bonding, a method crucial to next-generation high-bandwidth memory (HBM) packaging and wafer-to-wafer integration.
According to reports by JoongAng Ilbo and Yonhap News, Kim allegedly printed and photographed sensitive internal documents in violation of company policies. Investigators say he took more than 11,000 images of proprietary data. In a deliberate effort to conceal the breach, he reportedly edited or cropped out SK Hynix's logos and confidential markings before capturing the materials on camera.
Prosecutors also allege that Kim used the stolen information to bolster his résumé, which he submitted to two different Chinese firms during his job search.
While the leaked data involves hybrid bonding technology, an SK Hynix spokesperson clarified that the compromised materials were related to wafer-to-wafer bonding, rather than the HBM-specific hybrid bonding techniques currently under commercial development.
The case has drawn significant attention in South Korea, reflecting growing geopolitical tensions over semiconductor technology and the increasing frequency of alleged IP theft involving Chinese firms. The indictment comes amid tightened scrutiny of tech talent mobility and stricter enforcement of trade secret protections in the global chip war.
Article edited by Jack Wu
