Taipei: The former Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) executive, who is under suspicion for leaking technical secrets, did not have access to the company’s core technology, according to National Development Council (NDC) head Yeh Chun-hsien. Yeh, who also serves on TSMC’s board, clarified the situation following reports that Lo Wei-jen allegedly took confidential information related to TSMC’s advanced processes before his retirement in July and subsequent move to Intel in October.

According to Focus Taiwan, Yeh stated that TSMC typically reassigns employees one to two years before their retirement to different divisions to restrict access to sensitive information. Yeh emphasized that Lo had been reassigned more than a year ago, which would have limited his access to TSMC’s core technology.

Addressing concerns about potential leaks, Yeh reassured that confidence in TSMC remains steadfast and that the company will not be significantly impacted by the actions of a single individual. Speaking to reporters ahead of a Legislative Yuan hearing, Economics Minister Kung Ming-hsin highlighted the critical role of semiconductors in Taiwan’s industrial development, noting that they are now considered matters of national security.

Kung further explained that while trade secret violations usually require a company complaint for prosecution, those involving national security are subject to public prosecution. This is why the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office has initiated an investigation into the incident.

Regarding the potential impact on the industry, Kung expressed confidence in Taiwan’s robust semiconductor ecosystem. He noted that it remains to be seen if the ecosystem could be disrupted by the leakage of specific information, but for now, it appears resilient and not easily affected.