News: LEDs
27 August 2025
Korea’s Supreme Court upholds ruling on Everlight stealing Seoul Semi’s LED technology
South Korean LED maker Seoul Semiconductor Co Ltd says that the Supreme Court of Korea has recently upheld a lower court ruling convicting Taiwan-based LED maker Everlight Electronics Co Ltd of violating the Act on Prevention and Protection of Industrial Technology for misappropriating Seoul Semiconductor’s patented LED technology.
Seoul Semiconductor says that Everlight was indicted for bribing three former employees 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 Seoul Semiconductor employees 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.
Seoul Semiconductor says 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. The ruling serves as a warning to both domestic and overseas companies attempting to steal technology, either directly or indirectly, the firm adds. At the same time, it is expected to encourage fair competition and creative innovation.
In addition to the technology theft litigation, Seoul Semiconductor has also pursued what it has alleged are patent infringements by Everlight. Over the past seven years, it has won all 16 patent lawsuits across five countries, securing court orders prohibiting sales and mandating the recall of infringing products. Seoul Semiconductor says it is closely tracking the enforcement of the rulings and making sure that companies are not disregarding them to save costs.
“We will respond resolutely, even at all costs, against companies that infringe on our patents,” says Seoul Semiconductor’s founder Lee Chung-hoon.
EPO dismisses Everlight’s invalidation action against Seoul Semi’s ‘No Wire LED’ patent
Seoul Semi gains permanent injunction in Europe against infringing LED products
Everlight convicted in Korea for misappropriating Seoul Semi’s trade secrets
Seoul Semiconductor withdraws lawsuit after Mouser stops selling Everlight LED product in Japan
Seoul Semiconductor wins all five patent litigations against Everlight
