The Claim of "Not a Trade Secret"

The individual at the center of the case reportedly claimed that the leaked material did not qualify as a trade secret, a common defense argument in Korean industrial technology leak prosecutions. Under Korean law, the trade-secret designation is a key element in determining criminal liability for technology outflow, and defendants frequently contest whether the leaked information met the legal threshold of secrecy, economic value, and confidentiality measures.

Charges Over Core-Parts Technology

The case involves core parts technology for semiconductors, a sector the Korean government has designated as a national strategic technology and protected with reinforced safeguards against industrial espionage. Prosecutions of this kind typically hinge on demonstrating that the accused obtained the material through their former employment and transmitted it to a third party or competitor.

Details such as the identity of the company whose technology was leaked, the destination of the leaked data, and the specific nature of the core-parts technology involved remain unconfirmed in the available reporting.

Enforcement Context

Korean authorities, including the National Intelligence Service and the prosecution, have intensified their response to semiconductor technology leaks in recent years, reflecting the strategic importance of the chip industry to the national economy. Courts have generally taken a strict view of leaks involving national strategic technologies, though outcomes vary case by case depending on the evidence of secrecy and intent.

The defendant's argument that the leaked material was not a business secret did not prevent the case from proceeding to indictment, indicating that prosecutors judged the evidence sufficient to support the charges.

Conclusion: Given that the charges were formally brought despite the defendant's trade-secret defense, while key specifics of the case remain unconfirmed, the claim that a man in his 50s was charged over a semiconductor core-parts technology leak after arguing the information was not a business secret is Mostly True.