SEOUL, KOREA – Institutional measures to prevent technology leakages of SMEs are to be discussed in the National Assembly for the first time. Dong-whan Kim of Knowledge Economy Committee plans to hold a policy debate for the technology protection of SMEs. Debaters will include professors from diverse sectors including academics and related government organizations. This debate will focus on improving legal and institutional policy in order to build economic democracy through the protection of SMEs’ technology. The discussion will also deal with issues including large companies’ depriving SMEs of technical professionals, and abusing their positions to pressure, copy, and steal.
According to his remark at the parliamentary inspection of the administration, 14% of SMEs have experienced technology leakage over the course of the past three years, with damage costs of USD 1.5 million each. However, there are only two civil servants exclusively responsible for technology protection and the annual budget is merely USD 3.5 million. He said that, “Policy to protect technologies for SMEs is directly related to economic democracy. I believe this debate will be helpful for SMEs struggling against technology leakage.”
