Five under probe over washer technology leaks to China

By Jung Min-ho

Five people are being investigated for allegedly leaking Korea’s world-class washing machine technology to China, police said Tuesday.

According to the Gyeongnam Provincial Police Agency, the five are suspected of colluding in illegally leaking a core technology for drum-type washing machines to a Chinese company in 2015.

The Chinese company offered a Korean, 56, who was in charge of a Korean washing machine motor maker’s research center in China at that time, an annual salary of 160 million won ($150,000) as well as other perks ― such as housing and a vehicle ― for stealing the technologies.

The suspect, whose identity is being withheld, allegedly stole documents containing detailed designs of washing machine motors and took them to the Chinese firm.

One of the stolen technologies (for a direct-drive motor) was developed by the Korean firm in 2003 and regarded as the world’s best.

The Korean company’s estimated business loss from the alleged crime has been 6.4 billion won so far. That loss is expected to increase.

Four others allegedly helped in the key suspect’s scheme.

Police say they will cooperate with the National Intelligence Service to deal sternly with such crimes.