The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) — South Korea’s patent office — announced on Wednesday that it is gearing up to form an advisory committee to develop an international collaborative investigative system to respond to the leakage of technology and infringement of intellectual property rights overseas. The committee, comprising experts from academia, the legal profession and investigative agencies, will convene its first meeting on May 25. KIPO stated that technology leaks had cost South Korean companies about $19 billion (25 trillion won) in damages over the past five years, with significant hurdles in tracking down the criminals who flee overseas.

The inaugural meeting will focus on sharing experiences and information. The committee will also discuss steps to build an international investigative system. KIPO hopes the system will help locate criminals who have fled overseas and formulate ways to recover their illicit profits.