27 Experienced Engineers from Samsung and SK hynix Joined CXMT

The leakage of experienced engineers from Samsung Electronics and SK hynix to Chinese competitor ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) has been identified as a serious issue. According to an investigation by Representative Choi Soo-jin of the opposition People Power Party, 27 highly skilled individuals transferred to CXMT over a short period, with an average tenure of 15.4 years at their previous employers.

Six of these individuals held principal or executive-level positions, having worked at Samsung Electronics or SK hynix for over 20 years. The talent was evenly spread across critical areas such as circuit design and layout, process integration, and advanced packaging.

Upon leaving their previous companies, 26 out of the 27 transferred individuals left CXMT within two years, with many switching jobs within the Chinese industry. Some even moved to other Chinese firms like Huawei, SMIC, HiSilicon, and Chengdu Gaozhen. The Chinese government, as well as Chinese headhunters, played a significant role in this talent drain, offering attractive benefits such as double salaries, housing, and financial support for children's education.

The lawmaker's office expressed concern over the sophisticated routes used to bypass non-compete agreements and urged the government to take action in tracking and managing key personnel's moves to competing companies.