While it was belatedly known that Mr. A, a Korean man in his 50s, was arrested in China in December last year on charges of violating the Anti-Espionage Act, Mr. A’s family has reportedly not been notified of any specific charges by the local investigative authorities so far. Mr. A’s family said in a phone call with the Dong-A Ilbo on the 30th, “Chinese investigative authorities said that if the investigation becomes known to the outside world, it will be more disadvantageous for (Mr. A).”
According to the family, Mr. A’s passport was confiscated while entering China from Korea in September last year. This was three months before he was taken in by investigators in December of last year. During this process, he was investigated twice, but Mr. A hid this from his family at the time. When being investigated, Mr. A said he would leave the house for two or three days, saying, “I will go on a business trip to a local area.”
After he was taken into custody, his fate could only be confirmed through word of mouth. The National Security Bureau of Hefei City, where Mr. A lived, said, “Mr. A will be investigated at a hotel,” but did not provide the exact location or name of the hotel. I couldn’t meet in person or even talk on the phone. Through a total of 5 meetings with the Korean consul, I only received letters and news such as ‘applying medicine for dermatitis’. The family said, “Mr. A suffers from type 2 diabetes and needs to continue taking medication, but he has not been provided with medication since he went to the detention center.”
Mr. A’s wife was also questioned as a witness in March of this year. At the time, Chinese investigative authorities met him, saying, “I have something to tell you,” and took him to a location to conduct an investigation. At the time, investigators inquired about when Mr. A went to Korea while working at Changshin Memory Technology (CXMT). In addition, the Chinese lawyer, who completed the first meeting on the 9th of this month, said, “Under domestic law, I cannot tell the family details,” and added, “Evidence has already been secured, and Mr. A also admitted it.”
Mr. A’s family cannot accept this. The family countered, saying, “When I first joined Changshin Memory, I was not in a high-ranking position,” and “Korean employees were not even given access to confidential information.” The explanation is that Chinese or Taiwanese employees were the main employees, and Korean employees, including Mr. A, played only a supporting role.
The family suspects that China’s intention to apply the anti-espionage law to Korea was behind Mr. A’s arrest. The family said, “An article came out on December 15 last year saying that a former employee of Samsung Electronics was put on trial for leaking semiconductor technology to Changshin Memory,” and “Three days later, my father was arrested.”
It is reported that Mr. A’s trial will begin as early as the end of this month. The family said, “Both Mr. A and his family are nervous and exhausted due to the investigation that has been going on for nearly a year,” and “The government says they are providing consular assistance, but it is frustrating because we don’t know how the situation will progress.”
Beijing = Correspondent Kim Cheol-joong [email protected]
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It appears that a Korean man in his 50s, referred to as Mr. A, has been detained in China under allegations of violating the Anti-Espionage Act. His family has expressed concern about the lack of communication and specific charges from Chinese authorities since his arrest in December of last year. They revealed that Mr. A had encountered problems with authorities before his arrest, including having his passport confiscated while entering China from Korea in September.
Mr. A’s family shared their struggles, stating that Mr. A, who suffers from type 2 diabetes, has not received his necessary medication since entering detention. His wife has also been questioned by Chinese investigators regarding Mr. A’s employment history, including his time at Changshin Memory Technology (CXMT), which has been linked to allegations of technology leaks involving Samsung Electronics.
The family suspects that Mr. A’s arrest may be part of a broader trend of applying anti-espionage laws to South Koreans, particularly following reports in December about another case involving a Samsung employee. They are frustrated with the perceived lack of effective consular support and public information regarding the progress of the investigation.
As Mr. A’s trial is anticipated to commence soon, the family remains anxious and distressed over the situation, compounded by the lengthy period of investigation without clarity about his circumstances.