​A South Korean Citizen Arrested in China on Espionage Charges

A South Korean Citizen Arrested in China on Espionage Charges

According to reports, a South Korean national, identified as "A," has been arrested in China on charges of violating the Counter-Espionage Law of the People's Republic of China. This case marks the first arrest of a South Korean citizen under the law, enacted a decade ago. 

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On October 29, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the arrest of a South Korean citizen suspected of engaging in espionage activities, indicating that the South Korean Embassy in China has been informed. However, specific details about the individual remain undisclosed.

The suspect, a man in his 50s, has been living in Hefei, Anhui Province, where he worked for a Chinese semiconductor company. He lived with his wife and two daughters before being taken from his home by investigators from Hefei's National Security Bureau late last year. Following his detention, he was held in isolation for investigation at a local hotel for over five months. In May of this year, he was formally arrested by Chinese prosecutors and is currently detained at Hefei Detention Center.

The suspect previously worked for Samsung Electronics' semiconductor division and, since 2016, has been employed by three to four Chinese semiconductor companies, including CXMT, a leading Chinese memory chip producer.

CXMT, founded in 2016 and headquartered in Hefei, specializes in DRAM (dynamic random-access memory) chip design, development, manufacturing, and sales, with applications across mobile devices, computers, servers, virtual reality, and IoT.

The Hefei National Security Bureau suspects that during his employment with CXMT, "A" leaked sensitive chip-related information to South Korea. However, "A" has denied these accusations, arguing that he did not have access to core Chinese semiconductor technologies.

On October 29, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian addressed inquiries at a regular press conference, confirming the arrest. He stated that relevant authorities had provided consular notification to the South Korean Embassy and facilitated necessary consular support. "China is a country governed by law, and it enforces legal measures against illegal and criminal activities while ensuring the protection of all lawful rights of the parties involved," Lin emphasized.

Source: 锦观新闻

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