Taiwan Indicts Three for Stealing TSMC 2nm Chip Trade Secrets

Taiwanese prosecutors have charged three individuals, including a former TSMC engineer, with stealing trade secrets related to Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company's advanced 2-nanometer chip technology. The stolen information was allegedly used to assist Tokyo Electron, a Japanese chip equipment supplier, in improving its etching machine performance to compete for TSMC supplier deals. The three defendants face prison sentences ranging from seven to 14 years under Taiwan's National Security Act and Trade Secrets Act, with prosecutors emphasizing the case's significance to Taiwan's national security and semiconductor industry competitiveness. TSMC detected the unauthorized access through routine monitoring and has taken legal action against the involved employees. Tokyo Electron has denied involvement and dismissed the implicated staff member. This case marks the first use of amended national security laws aimed at preventing state-level economic espionage in Taiwan.