Twenty technology disputes were filed in about a month with a reporting channel launched to respond swiftly to technology theft harming small and midsize enterprises. That is on par with recent annual totals.
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups said the "Small Business Technology Theft Eradication Hotline" received a total of 20 technology dispute reports in about a month since its launch in Mar. This is on par with the annual number of reports over the past two years (20 in 2024, 16 in 2025), indicating strong demand from the outset of the program.
The hotline was the first collaborative task of a pan-ministerial response team and officially launched on Mar. 26. When a small or midsize company reports a technology dispute, legal experts provide consultations to develop a response strategy and connect the case to the appropriate agency by dispute type. It applies to six categories: technology infringement, trade secret infringement, patent and design right infringement, leakage of industrial technology, and misappropriation of technical data related to subcontracting and win-win cooperation.
Of the reports received, eight have already been referred to investigative agencies. By agency, five went to the Korean Intellectual Property Office, two to the Korean National Police Agency, and one to the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS). Another nine are undergoing expert consultations and interagency coordination, and three that did not constitute technology theft were withdrawn or rejected.
The Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) plans to refine the hotline's operating system going forward. Based on questions accumulated during consultations, it will publish a frequently asked questions (FAQ) list to aid reporting decisions, and it will upgrade the system so reporters can check processing status and results even after cases are referred to each agency. It is also reviewing adding staff to speed up processing.
Minister Han Seong-sook of the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS) said, "We have put in place a system so that micro and small businesses harmed by technology theft can report more easily and receive free legal support," and added, "We will strengthen cooperation with related ministries and expand the budget for technology protection."
Technology theft reports can be filed through the "Technology Protection Fence" website, and phone consultations through the call center are also available.