Criticism has been raised that the "technology dispute mediation system," introduced to support small and midsize enterprises harmed by technology theft, is effectively failing to function.
According to data submitted by lawmaker Seo Wang-jin of the Rebuilding Korea Party, a member of the Trade. Industry Energy. SMEs. and Startups Committee, from the Ministry of SMEs and Startups on the 14th, a total of 256 mediation applications were filed with the Technology Dispute Mediation Committee from 2015, when the technology dispute mediation system was implemented, to Sept. 2025, but only 58 cases (22%) resulted in successful mediation.
During the same period, 113 cases were suspended for reasons such as "unable to verify facts" and "no intent to mediate by the respondent," and 58 out of 116 cases failed to be established because the parties did not reach an agreement even though a mediation proposal was presented. Critics say that even when a company harmed by technology theft manages to enter the mediation process, the system is rendered powerless if the other party refuses to cooperate or intentionally delays.
The "Gompyo wheat beer dispute" between Daehan Flour Mills and SevenBrau, adopted as a witness case at the National Assembly audit 4th, is cited as a representative case in which technology dispute mediation is underway.
Daehan Flour Mills launched "Gompyo wheat beer" with SevenBrau, a small and midsize beer manufacturer, in 2020, but after ending its contract with SevenBrau in 2023, it collaborated with another manufacturer, Jeju Beer, to release "Gompyo wheat beer Season 2," sparking a technology leakage dispute. SevenBrau then applied to the Ministry of SMEs and Startups for technology dispute mediation against Daehan Flour Mills, claiming that Daehan Flour Mills passed its technology to a competitor and interfered with its business activities, and the mediation process is currently underway.
Seo Wang-jin said, "The problem is that the government, while calling for the eradication of technology theft, has no coercive measures at the mediation stage," and added, "For cases where mediation fails, the anonymized case summary and progress should be made public, and if certain conditions are met, quasi-judicial effect should be granted to the mediation proposal."