Samsung Fights Back Against Industrial Espionage as Eight Koreans Jailed for Selling Tech Secrets

Last week, eight Koreans were found guilty of divulging confidential information from Samsung Display to Chinese firm BOE Technology Group, lured by the promise of high salaries. In a related development, the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) is investigating a lawsuit by Samsung Display alleging that BOE infringed on its trade secrets. On Nov. 30, a court handed down sentences to employees of Toptec, an affiliate of Samsung Display. The charges involved the leak of Samsung’s proprietary edge panel technology, used in smartphones, to BOE, China’s leading display manufacturer. The head of Toptec’s sales department, referred to as Mr. A in the indictment, received a three-year prison term. Four other former and current Toptec employees were sentenced to prison terms ranging from one to two and a half years. Additionally, three individuals who facilitated the connection to the Chinese firm were given one to two years in prison....