Korean prosecutors name ex-Samsung exec who tried to set up copy-cat fab in China and the Taiwanese backer

The former Samsung executive accused of trying to set up a chip factory in China based on plans stolen from Samsung has been revealed by Korean prosecutors to be Choi Jinseog who has been in jail in Korea since May.

The Taiwanese backer for the project has also been revealed to be Foxconn.

The prosecutors allege that Choi’s company, Jin Semiconductor, signed a contract with Foxconn in 2018 to set up the fab to run a 20nm Samsung process. The copy-car fab was close to an existing Samsung fab in China (pictured).

Choi is alleged to have asked Samsung suppliers for information on how to set up the fab.

Cho Young-sik who worked at Samsung contractor, Samoo Architects & Engineers, is alleged to have provided Jin Semiconductor with confidential information involving semiconductor cleanroom management, according to the indictment.

Chung Chan-yup, who worked for HanmiGlobal, which supervised the construction and floor layouts of wastewater treatment and other subsidiary facilities at a Samsung fab is alleged to have provided blueprints of the fab to Jin.

The indictment also alleges that Choi recruited a large number of Samsung employees for the project.

“It’s so serious that it’s difficult to compare it in terms of the scale of the crime and the degree of damage with previous individual semiconductor technology leakage cases,” said the Korean prosecutors.