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Photo courtesy of Yonhap News |
[Alpha Biz= Paul Lee] A former employee of Samsung Electronics has been indicted while in custody for allegedly leaking internal confidential information to a third party in exchange for more than USD 1 million in kickbacks, prosecutors said on February 2.
According to legal sources, the Information Technology Crime Investigation Division of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office indicted the former employee, identified only by the surname Kwon, on charges including violations of the Unfair Competition Prevention Act, acceptance of bribes in breach of trust, and occupational breach of trust. Lim, the chief executive of IdeaHub, was also indicted on charges of violating the same law and offering bribes in breach of trust.
Prosecutors allege that Kwon, who previously worked at Samsung Electronics’ IP Center, accepted USD 1 million in exchange for providing internal confidential information to Lim and IdeaHub.
IdeaHub is described as a non-practicing entity (NPE)—a company that does not manufacture products but instead generates revenue by monetizing patents through sales or licensing fees.
Investigators believe that IdeaHub approached Samsung Electronics seeking ownership or licensing rights to patents related to the company’s IP Center. During this process, prosecutors say Lim contacted Kwon and obtained Samsung’s internal analysis materials, including information on patents Samsung was considering acquiring or licensing, as well as strategies for responding to potential legal disputes.
Armed with the leaked materials, IdeaHub allegedly gained a significant advantage in negotiations and subsequently entered into a USD 30 million patent agreement with Samsung Electronics, prosecutors said.
Alphabiz Reporter Paul Lee(hoondork1977@alphabiz.co.kr)
