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Korean prosecutors indicted 18 individuals to participate in technology theft, the world’s major computer memory chip manufacturers have been involved in an industrial espionage case.

South Korean prosecutors on Thursday said the people involved, including the United States Allied Materials Corporation and its subsidiary in South Korea personnel. They were suspected to South Korea’s Samsung Electronics semiconductor technology leaked to the South Korean rival Hynix Semiconductor.

This case highlights the chip manufacturers and resellers, among other high-tech competition. These companies often sue each other for patent infringement. Samsung and Hynix is a leading global manufacturer of two DRAM chips.

The prosecutor in charge of the case, said Kim Yeong-cheol, South Korean prosecutors on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against 18 individuals, however, 14 of which individuals there is no detention prior to trial. He said that the prosecutor also asked a question of Samsung’s original employees.

This technology is said to be the U.S. chip equipment maker Applied Materials Inc., a South Korean branch granted to the employees, then the technology available to Hynix.

Prosecutors said in a statement on Wednesday, Applied Materials South Korean branch through the installation and maintenance of Samsung’s chip-making equipment and installations used in Samsung’s “core technology.” And the arrest of accused persons have a Samsung employee, a Hynix employees, Applied Materials, former head of South Korea branch (he is now the U.S. vice president), and Applied Materials South Korean branch of an employee.

Prosecutors said there had not yet decided whether to extradite in the United States to work for Applied Materials Inc., a former Samsung employee. This man was alleged to have leaked to Samsung’s technical Applied Materials Korea branch.

Applied Materials said it is aware of the actions taken by South Korean prosecutors, and confirmed its vice president and branch of a South Korean employees were indicted and detained.

Samsung expressed concern about this case. Hynix expressed regret for this case.

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