• Red Card for Companies Using Illegal LED Products

The Supreme Court of Korea has recently upheld a lower court ruling convicting Taiwan-based Everlight Electronics Co., Ltd. of violating the Act on Prevention and Protection of Industrial Technology for misappropriating Seoul Semiconductor Co., Ltd. (KOSDAQ: 046890)’s patented LED technology.

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[Table] Summary of Seoul Semiconductor vs. Everlight Lawsuits (Image: Seoul Semiconductor)

Everlight was indicted for bribing three former employees of Seoul Semiconductor to misappropriate core technologies developed over decades of R&D, including the world’s first No-wire second-generation LED technology and advanced UV LED technologies. The former employees who leaked the technologies were also sentenced to prison terms.

Although Everlight initially appealed its first-trial conviction for trade secret infringement, the appellate court determined that Seoul Semiconductor’s technologies went beyond ordinary trade secrets and qualified as advanced national industrial technologies under Korea’s Industrial Technology Protection Act, adding further charges. Last week, the Supreme Court upheld the lower court’s ruling, making the conviction final.

Industry experts view the Supreme Court’s ruling as a meaningful precedent that will foster research and development while advancing the quality of human life. The decision confirms that Korea’s criminal jurisdiction can be effectively applied to foreign companies, and that under the principle of dual liability, both individuals and corporations can be held accountable.

This ruling serves as a strong warning to both domestic and overseas companies attempting to steal technology, either directly or indirectly. At the same time, it is expected to encourage fair competition and creative innovation.

In addition to the technology theft litigation, Seoul Semiconductor has vigorously pursued Everlight’s patent infringements. Over the past seven years, the company has won all 16 patent lawsuits across five countries, securing court orders prohibiting sales and mandating the recall of infringing products. Seoul Semiconductor is closely tracking the enforcement of the rulings and making sure companies aren’t disregarding them to save costs.

Lee Chung-hoon, founder of Seoul Semiconductor and the son of a farmer, stated, “Birth may be unfair, but opportunity must be fair. When intellectual property rights are respected, they give hope to struggling young people and companies, foster creative innovation, and gradually improve people’s lives.”

He further emphasized, “We are determined to dedicate ourselves to research and development, choosing bold failure over mere survival. And we will respond resolutely, even at all costs, against companies that infringe on our patents.”

For the past 30 years, Seoul Semiconductor has dedicated itself to the research and development of optical semiconductors, amassing more than 18,000 patents—an unparalleled portfolio in the LED industry. These are not merely numbers; they include core technologies that define the second generation of the LED industry, such as the world’s first No-wire technology (essential for MicroLED display manufacturing) and the world’s first RGB 1-chip technology. Today, Seoul Semiconductor stands as the world’s No. 1 in LED backlight technology, No. 1 in UV LEDs, and No. 3 in the global LED industry overall, solidifying its position as a leading optical semiconductor company.

About Seoul Semiconductor

Seoul Semiconductor is the world’s third-largest global optoelectronics (LED) company, specializing in LED technology for over 30 years. With the vision of "Making the world clean, healthy, and beautiful through light," Seoul Semiconductor leads a new paradigm of light across various industries, including lighting, automotive, IT (such as backlighting), and its subsidiary, Seoul Viosys, which specializes in MicroLED, UV, Sensors, and Datacomm (SD).

Some of the groundbreaking technologies developed by Seoul Semiconductor include the world’s first innovative No-wire LED technology WICOP, the SunLike LED, which replicates natural sunlight spectrum, the high-voltage LED Acrich, the ultra-bright nPola LED (10 times brighter than conventional LEDs), the RGB one-chip MicroLED WICOP Pixel, and UV sterilization technology Violeds.

Seoul Semiconductor holds an impressive portfolio of over 18,000 patents, and in the last 20 years, the company has won over 100 cases in patent litigation across 8 countries. Believing that the patent system provides hope for young people and serves as a foundation for building a better world, the company is actively engaged in intellectual property protection. For more details, visit our official website (www.seoulsemicon.com or www.seoulviosys.com) and our social media channels (LinkedIn).

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“Birth may be unfair, but opportunity must be fair. When intellectual property rights are respected, they give hope to struggling young people and companies, foster creative innovation, and gradually improve people’s lives.”