Nine in 10 South Koreans Back Tougher Penalties for Core Technology Leaks

According to Yonhap, a Korea Enterprises Federation poll found that 92.5% of respondents said overseas leakage of core technologies in key industries, including semiconductors, poses a serious threat to South Korea's economy, and 90.7% supported stronger penalties. The survey of 1,000 adults aged 19 and older also found 5.3% wanted current penalties kept in place and 3.2% favored easing them. The federation said South Korea should review domestic and overseas research and revise related policies to reflect public sentiment. It said detected cases of overseas core technology leaks rose to 33 in 2025 from nine in 2021, while total financial damage since 2020 reached 23 trillion won ($15.43 billion). The federation also said South Korea is more exposed than its peers because cutting-edge industries account for a larger share of exports, at 36.3% in 2024 versus 29.7% for Britain, 24.3% for the United States and 23.1% for France.