The Sentencing Commission of South Korea’s Supreme Court announced on Friday plans to intensify penalties for industrial espionage, particularly targeting overseas technology leaks. The proposal, responding to an uptick in tech theft cases, suggests tripling the maximum sentence for key national technology leaks abroad to 18 years. This move is part of a broader legal reclassification, distinguishing technology infringement as a separate category from trade secret infringement, allowing for more stringent judicial measures.

The Commission’s move addresses criticism over lenient past penalties, aiming to curb the rising trend of tech espionage. The proposal calls for increased maximum sentences for various categories of industrial espionage and recommends against leniency for first-time offenders.