South Korea Expands Espionage Law to Protect Key Technologies Amid Global Competition
South Korea's expanded espionage law, which broadens the scope of espionage offenses beyond acts involving North Korea to include all foreign countries, took effect on Sunday. This legislative change aims to protect key technologies, such as semiconductors, displays, batteries, and artificial intelligence, in response to intensifying global competition in strategic industries. The revised Criminal Act, passed by the National Assembly on February 26, introduces a new offense for espionage benefiting any foreign country or equivalent organization, carrying a minimum sentence of three years in prison. Previously, espionage charges primarily applied to actions benefiting North Korea, often forcing prosecutors to use other industrial technology or trade-secret laws for cases involving non-North Korean entities. The National Intelligence Service has welcomed the amendment, anticipating it will enhance South Korea's ability to prevent strategic technology leaks. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning, whe...