LS Cable & System's cable plant in Donghae, Gangwon Province / Courtesy of LS Cable & System
Police have referred employees of Taihan Cable & Solution to prosecutors over allegations of leaking submarine cable technology from LS Cable & System, after a nearly three-year investigation.
The decision is widely seen as significant given that industrial technology leak cases typically require extensive digital forensics, technical analysis, witness questioning and legal review.
Industry officials said such cases — handled by the National Office of Investigation — are generally referred only after investigators comprehensively examine seized materials, testimony and technological links.
The latest referral itself is being interpreted as a major judgment by investigative authorities, rather than a preliminary stage, such as a search and seizure operation.
Particular attention has been drawn to the scope of those referred. Earlier reports largely centered on officials from architectural design firms involved in the construction of submarine cable plants.
However, sources said the latest referral list also includes personnel from companies that participated directly in manufacturing core production equipment for submarine cables, broadening perceptions of the case beyond a dispute over architectural blueprints.
One of the firms in question was said to be a subcontractor to a partner company responsible for producing key facilities at LS Cable’s submarine cable plant in Donghae, Gangwon Province.
The industry is especially focused on equipment, such as vertical continuous vulcanization (VCV) systems and turntables, both considered essential to submarine cable production.
VCV systems are critical facilities used in the insulation process for ultra-high-voltage submarine cables. Costing tens of billions of won, the massive installations are operated by only a limited number of global manufacturers due to the advanced expertise required.
Source: Korea Times News
