Politics · South Korea · 1 day ago
Only 3 of 31 projects with foreign researchers had prior security approval
South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy oversees research projects involving technologies such as helicopter gearboxes and all-solid-state batteries.
From 2022 through 2026, foreign researchers worked on 31 projects classified as security-sensitive.
Only three projects had completed a required prior approval process, while 22 had not and six had incomplete procedures.
The ministry said its rules do not require the minister to be notified or the National Intelligence Service to be informed.
Some companies used routine hiring approvals as evidence of security checks, and the ministry later acknowledged that some researchers received approval only after starting work.
Some companies have removed the affected researchers from their projects.
An opposition lawmaker called for all projects that broke security rules to be reviewed and said authorities should consider recovering project funds.
Only 3 of 31 security-sensitive projects involving foreign researchers received prior approval, according to records analyzed by a lawmaker’s office.
The projects covered the five-year period from 2022 through 2026 and included helicopter main gearbox and all-solid-state battery development.
Twenty-two cases had no prior approval, while six had inadequate approval procedures.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy said no rule required it to report approvals to the minister or notify the National Intelligence Service.
Lawmaker Choi Su-jin called for a full reinvestigation and consideration of recovering project funds.
- Who
- Foreign researchers working on security-sensitive research projects overseen by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
- What
- Only 3 of 31 projects had prior security approval; 22 had none and 6 had inadequate procedures.
- When
- The projects covered 2022 through 2026. The report was published on October 10, 2026 UTC.
- Where
- South Korea.
- Why
- The approval process was intended to assess risks and help prevent the overseas leakage of national core technologies.
Choi Su-jin and her office
Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy
Prior approval
Choi Su-jin and her office
Choi’s office said only 3 of 31 projects had received prior approval and criticized the ministry for leaving security gaps.
Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy
The ministry said there was no rule requiring a ministerial report or notification to the National Intelligence Service.
Response to the findings
Choi Su-jin and her office
Choi said projects that violated security rules should be reinvestigated and that strong measures, including recovering project funds, should be considered.
Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy
The ministry initially said there had been no cases of bypassing security reviews; according to Choi, it later acknowledged that some people received approval after the fact because the requirement had not been recognized.
The ministry responsible for protecting national core technologies left a back door open to foreigners in its own house. This was a clear act of self-harm to national security.
The entire set of projects that violated security rules should be reinvestigated, and strong measures such as recovering project funds should be considered.
Foreign researchers took part in 31 security-sensitive projects overseen by the ministry.
The ministry said there had been no cases of bypassing security reviews.
The ministry acknowledged that some people had received approval after the fact because the requirement had not been recognized, according to Choi.
Yonhap published the report on the approval figures and Choi’s criticism.
- Projects examined
- 31 security-sensitive projects involving foreign researchers
- Prior approval
- 3 projects (9.7%)
- No prior approval
- 22 projects (71.0%)
- Inadequate approval procedures
- 6 projects (19.3%)
- Period covered
- 2022–2026
Sources
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