TSMC employee arrested on suspicion of leaking confidential information about 2nm semiconductors, Tokyo Electron also under investigation

It has been revealed that several employees have been fired and detained by authorities for allegedly stealing confidential information from Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturer TSMC. The stolen technology relates to the latest 2nm semiconductor process technology, which has not yet been mass-produced, and could be a violation of the National Security Act. Local newspapers have also reported that Tokyo Electron has been searched.

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TSMC has fired several employees for allegedly obtaining confidential information about its latest chips.

According to TSMC and prosecutors, abnormal file access by employees was detected during regular internal monitoring processes. An internal investigation revealed suspicions that confidential information had been illegally obtained by former and current employees, leading to a complaint being filed with the Supreme Public Prosecutors' Office.

According to information quoted by the Taiwanese newspaper United News Network, citing multiple sources, the illegally obtained information concerns the 2nm process rule, a cutting-edge technology that TSMC plans to begin mass production of in the second half of 2025, and is said to 'potentially raise national security concerns.' Besides TSMC, only a handful of companies, including Samsung, Intel, and Japan's Rapidus, are conducting research and development into the 2nm process technology.

Following the complaint, the Intellectual Property Prosecution Branch of the Taiwan High Prosecutors' Office conducted searches of six locations, and six engineers were arrested. The request for detention of two suspects, former engineer Chen and current engineer Wu, was approved.

The Supreme Public Prosecutors' Office said, 'We will thoroughly investigate the suspect's motives and objectives for illegally obtaining TSMC's core national confidential information and confirm whether the confidential information has been leaked to others.' 'We will deal strictly with the suspect in accordance with the law, taking into account the extent of the crime committed by the suspect and the damage suffered by TSMC.'

The United News Network also reported that searches were also conducted at Tokyo Electron, a company based in the Hsinchu Science-Based Industrial Park in the Hsinchu area, but no comment has been released by the prosecution authorities or Tokyo Electron.