South Korea’s expanded espionage law took effect on September 13, extending offences beyond activity benefiting North Korea to cover any foreign country or organized entity. The revised Criminal Act sets prison terms ranging from three to 30 years for obtaining, collecting or disclosing state secrets on behalf of a foreign entity. The National Assembly passed the amendment on February 26, 2026, after more than seven decades under a framework largely focused on North Korea. The change follows a record 33 technology-leak cases reported by police in 2025, more than half linked to China, with semiconductors the main target. Five former Samsung Electronics employees were indicted over alleged transfers of critical DRAM manufacturing technology to Chinese memory chipmaker ChangXin Memory Technologies, or CXMT. The law forms part of Seoul’s broader effort to protect its semiconductor industry, including an outlined $880 billion chip hub plan, while adding potential diplomatic friction with Beijing.