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Thursday, May 18, 2023

The Cipher Brief curates open source information from around the world that impacts national security. Here's a look at today's headlines, broken down by region of the world:  

In the Americas

White House Not Planning to Request Additional FY23 Ukraine Funding from Congress . The White House is not planning to ask Congress for more funding for Ukraine before the end of this fiscal year, which ends in September, according to a White House spokesperson. This announcement comes as some members of Congress reportedly expected the White House to request more once the $36 billion in emergency funding for Ukraine that was approved in December runs out, which is expected by the end of the summer.  A Pentagon spokesperson said of that emergency funding, $2.3 billion remains available for the Presidential Drawdown Authority, which pulls from US stockpiles, and $4 billion for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, which buys from industry.  CNN 

Ukraine War Could Become “Frozen Conflict”, U.S. Officials Say.  Among the range of possibilities for ending the war in Ukraine that US officials are preparing for is a “frozen conflict” according to current and former US officials.  Politico reports that the frozen conflict scenario, where the war is paused and temporary boundaries are agreed upon is thought to be among the most likely outcomes by some US officials.  The belief that a Ukrainian counteroffensive will fail to deal a “mortal blow” to the Russian military is the main factor for those who support the idea of freezing the conflict.  Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky however, has previously said that a frozen conflict is not a scenario that he would accept, and just this week in Kyiv Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba reiterated that message to a visiting Chinese envoy.  Politico says that officials who they spoke to refused to offer specifics about how the US would handle a long-term frozen conflict between Ukraine and Russia, but did say that US planning has always taken into account the long and short-term views of the war.  Politico 

Biden Arrives for G7 Summit After Consulting with Japan’s Kishida. US President Joe Biden has arrived in Hiroshima, Japan for this week’s Group of Seven (G7) leaders’ summit. The group is expected to focus on tensions with China and  the Ukraine war, as well as concerns over North Korea’s missile tests and Iran’s nuclear program.  Associated Press

US Reports Nuclear Warhead Data in Attempt to Push Russia. The US Department of State has released information regarding the number of nuclear warheads in the US in an attempt to pressure Russia into doing the same and rejoining the New START Treaty. The announcement said the US nuclear arsenal includes 1,419 deployed nuclear warheads.  The release of the information marks a reversal of an earlier decision not to reveal such data.  The New START Treaty restricts Russia and the US to cap their number of deployed warheads at 1,500 and deployed bombers and long-range missiles to 700, but Putin has suspended both the nation’s involvement in the treaty and related inspections due to tensions over the Ukraine war. Al Jazeera

Pentagon’s Top Policy Official to Leave in July.  Colin Kahl, the Department of Defense’s undersecretary for policy, is set to leave his post in July.  Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin announced Kahl’s planned departure on Wednesday.  A Pentagon official said Kahl will return to his position as a tenured professor at Stanford University and will continue his work at the DoD until mid-July to help support President Joe Biden and Austin ahead of the NATO summit in Vilnius, Lithuania.  The official added that Sasha Baker, the DoD deputy undersecretary for policy, will take Kahl’s post in an acting capacity.  Kahl became the Pentagon’s top policy official after a grueling confirmation process in which Republicans scrutinized him for past social media posts critical of the GOP and past policy positions on the Middle East during his work in the Obama administration.  Kahl has had a major role in recent US defense policy; he was involved in the development of the National Defense Strategy and has been a major voice advocating against sending US-made F-16 fighter jets to Ukraine.  Defense News NBC News Politico

Montana Bans TikTok.  Montana Governor Greg Ginaforte signed a measure on Wednesday that enacts a total ban on TikTok, making Montana the first US state to outlaw the app.  The measure prohibits downloads of TikTok and fines an app store or TikTok $10,000 per day for each time someone “is offered the ability” to use or download the app.  Ginaforte said the measure aims to protect the private data and sensitive personal information of Montana citizens from China.  TikTok says the ban violates the First Amendment, but has not said if it will file a lawsuit to challenge it.  Other opponents, including free speech advocates and tech trade groups, agree the measure is unconstitutional and could also potentially bring the matter to court.  In a separate move, Gianforte also announced a measure banning all social media apps linked to foreign adversaries on state devices and for state entities starting on June 1.  That restriction includes Chinese app WeChat as well as Telegram Messenger, which was founded in Russia.  Associated Press CNN 

Ecuador President Dissolves Congress.  Ecuadorian President Guillermo Lasso dissolved Ecuador’s legislature on Wednesday and will rule by decree until a new presidential election in six months.  The move appears to be a final attempt by Lasso to hold onto power and avoid impeachment over embezzlement accusations.  Opposition groups said they would launch mass protests in response, but there have been no such demonstrations as political groups appear to be moving carefully to prepare for the upcoming election, which Lasso is expected to run as a candidate in.  The development is likely to add to the political turmoil in Ecuador, which is facing an unprecedented wave of gang violence.  Washington Post

Western Europe

NATO Expected to Update Collective Defense Plan for First Time Since Cold War.  At its summit in July NATO officials are expected to approve an updated and secret plan to respond to a potential Russian military attack.  The plan, which will reportedly be updated for the first time since the cold war, marks a significant shift in NATO thinking following decades of counter terrorism operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and following the end of the cold war.  Senior NATO official Admiral Rob Bauer says that the alliance must prepare for conflict that “can present itself at any time”, a fact made all the more urgent with Europe’s largest war since WWII raging in nearby Ukraine.  Reuters 

Denmark, Finland Claim Embassy Bank Accounts Frozen in Russia.  On Wednesday, Finland and Denmark reported that Russia had frozen their bank accounts, forcing embassies to pay bills and employees in cash reserves and blocking the use of bank cards. According to the Danish foreign ministry, Denmark’s accounts have been frozen since last summer, while Finnish Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said his county’s accounts were frozen on April 27th. Despite a May 4th notice sent from Finland prompting Moscow to provide at least an explanation on the matter, Russia’s central bank has not responded. The freezing of Finland’s accounts comes after the country joined NATO on April 4th.   Reuters 

Central and Eastern Europe

Ukrainian Air Defenses Shoot Down 29 out of 30 Russian Missiles.  Russia fired 30 missiles overnight at targets across Ukraine but Ukrainian officials say they destroyed 29 of them.  One missile struck an industrial building in the southern city of Odessa, killing one person and wounding two others.  In Kyiv, loud explosions were reportedly heard as Russia targeted the capital for the ninth time this month in the latest test for Ukraine’s air defenses.  Falling debris from destroyed missiles reportedly fell in two districts of Kyiv, resulting in one fire but no casualties.  The Ukrainian Commander in Chief General Valerii Zaluzhnyi says that the missiles were fired from Russian sea, air and ground bases.  Associated Press Reuters CNN

Ukraine Reports Successful Advances Near Bakhmut.  Ukraine’s military says it has made incremental gains in the ongoing battle for control of Bakhmut.  A Ukrainian military spokesman says forces fighting near the city were conducting successful defenses, counterattacking and in some areas had advanced.  The spokesman also says that Russia was reinforcing its troops there with new units, including paratroopers and that Russia’s forces showed no sign of being short of ammunition.  Reuters New York Times

Ukraine Tells Chinese Envoy in Kyiv that Peace Deal Will Not Include Ceding Territory.  Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba told a visiting Chinese envoy that Ukraine will not accept any peace deal that includes ceding territory to Russia.  Li Hui, China’s former Ambassador to Russia, was in Kyiv as part of a European tour to discuss peace proposals for Ukraine.  Kuleba also reportedly told Li that a “freezing of the conflict” would not be accepted by Kyiv.  There were no details on how Li responded.  Li is scheduled to visit Warsaw, Paris, Berlin and Brussels before heading to Moscow.  Li’s itinerary was reportedly adjusted to include the stop in Brussels following his meeting in Kyiv.  Associated Press  France 24  South China Morning Post

Ukraine Increases Strikes Behind Russian Lines.  The Wall Street Journal is out with a detailed analysis of Ukrainian operations to target Russian supply lines ahead of an expected counteroffensive.  Ukraine’s military has been stepping up its use of precision strikes against Russian ammunition and fuel storage facilities, seeking to weaken Russia’s ability to keep its forces supplied.  Described as “shaping operations” by western military analysts, Ukraine has recently increased the frequency of these attacks inside of Russian-held territory.  The UK Ministry of Defense says that the Ukrainian attacks will likely force Russia’s military to adjust its logistics operations and analysts say that the addition of even longer-range weapons into Ukraine’s arsenal could put serious pressure on Moscow’s ability to keep its forces supplied.  A former US DOD official says that if Moscow is forced to move its logistics hubs to more than 120 miles away from the front, that Russian forces will be in a difficult position and forced to rely on vulnerable and over extended supply lines that will be under increasing threat.   Wall Street Journal

African Peace Delegation Confirmed to Visit Moscow.  Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed on Thursday that a delegation from African countries working towards a peaceful resolution to the Ukraine war will visit Moscow.  Peskov did not give further details and said exact dates for the visit have not been finalized.  Little is known about any proposals the African delegation will propose, though South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has said that both the Ukrainian and Russian governments have welcomed the initiative.  Reuters

Russia, Ukraine Confirm Two-Month Extension of Black Sea Grain Deal.  Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan announced on Wednesday that the Black Sea grain deal has been extended for two months.  Russia, Ukraine, and the UN all confirmed the extension, narrowly avoiding the deal’s expiration on Thursday.  Russia initially appeared unwilling to extend the pact unless demands to expand Russian agricultural exports and ease sanctions Russia says impact its agricultural industry were met.  Russia’s UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia said Moscow agreed to extend the deal for the time being since it still hopes outstanding issues with the pact will be sorted out.  The US has rejected Russia’s problems with the deal, saying Russian agricultural exports remain at the same levels as before the Ukraine war.  Ukraine has welcomed the extension of the deal, but top officials have emphasized that Russia cannot be allowed to continue to sabotage the deal and use food “as a weapon and blackmail.”  New York Times Reuters

Kremlin Says Hypersonic Missile Scientists Face 'Very Serious Accusations.’  Some Russian scientists have signed an open letter defending three of their colleagues, who reportedly worked on Russia’s hypersonic missile program and who are now under investigation by Russia’s security services.  The three individuals, Anatoly Maslov, Alexander Shiplyuk and Valery Zvegintsev, reportedly authored a book chapter in 2016 called “Hypersonic Short-Duration Facilities for Aerodynamic Research at ITAM, Russia", but their colleagues say that the material the scientists presented had been repeatedly fact checked to ensure it did not include any sensitive information and that the investigation has struck fear across the Russian scientific community.  Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov says that he is aware of the letter but that the matter was in the hands of the security services and that the three men face “very serious accusations”.   Reuters

Ex-Wagner Fighter Who Escaped to Norway Wants to Return to Russia.  A former member of Russia’s Wagner Group, who sought asylum in Norway in January now says he wants to return to Russia.  Andrei Medvedev, a 26-year-old who has previously spoken about his time with Wagner and made headlines when he reported of the alleged killing and mistreatment of Russian prisoners by Wagner Group fighters.  Medvedev says that he thought he could escape and “leave the politics” and war behind in Norway, but he sees now that it is impossible and that he’s decided to return to Russia.  Medvedev says he is aware that his life could be at risk if he returns, and that "We shall see what would happen in Russia. If they kill me, OK. If they don't, thanks a lot. If I live, even more thanks."  Reuters

Russia Says U.S. Communicates with Advisor to Putin on Release of Detained Americans.  The US has made repeated calls to Moscow to demand the release of jailed US citizens Paul Whelan and Evan Gershkovich.  Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, speaking to Russian media, says that while ministerial level talks between Washington and Moscow are “nonexistent”, the US does communicate with a Russian foreign affairs advisor to President Vladimir Putin.  Lavrov didn’t say how the advisor, Yuri Ushakov, responds to the American demands and the Wall Street Journal says the Kremlin didn’t respond to a request for comment.  Wall Street Journal

Asia and Oceania

Former British PM Truss Visits Taiwan.  Former British prime minister Liz Truss is visiting Taiwan, making her the first former UK leader to visit the island since Margaret Thatcher in 1996.  Truss is using her trip to call for the strengthening of British economic and military ties with Taiwan; she is advocating for Britain to use “hard power” support to deter Chinese action against Taiwan, and is calling for Taiwan to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership as well as urging the creation of an “economic NATO” to counter China.  The Chinese embassy in London denounced her visit as a “dangerous political show” and called on the current British government to “correct her wrongdoing” to avoid escalating tensions in the Taiwan Strait.  The Chinese foreign ministry echoed this, saying Truss is an “out of date” politician using Taiwan for “political self-interest.”  Experts say British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has taken a more balanced approach to China than Truss, though he is expected to join other Group of Seven leaders in taking a hard stance on Beijing at a summit in Japan this week.  South China Morning Post

Chinese Drones Reportedly Include Tech that Prevents Use Against China.  A Chinese military source told the South China Morning Post that Chinese drones exported abroad have built in technology to prevent them from being used to attack China.  The source claimed that the Chinese drones have “watchdog” technology that will prevent them from passing an “electronic geofence” around China.  The source added that the function was declared by Chinese drone developers in their instruction books.  If true, the claim appears to confirm earlier claims by Haluk Bayraktar, the CEO of top Turkish drone maker Baykar Technology, that Chinese drones turn around when launched towards the Chinese border and that buyers of Chinese UAVs reported “subpar performance” from such “hidden restrictions” which pushed them to switch over to Turkish drones.  Chinese military experts have since told South China Morning Post that the “watchdog” drone technology is “common knowledge” and has been developed over decades to secure no-fly zones within China as well as the country’s borders.  South China Morning Post

China, ASEAN Progressing on South China Sea Code of Conduct.  China’s foreign ministry announced Wednesday that China and ASEAN will complete a second reading of a South China Sea code of conduct within the year.  The legally binding document was meant to come into effect last year to regulate behavior in the highly disputed waterway.  Both China and ASEAN members, especially the Philippines and Vietnam, have expressed consensus to quickly finalize the document to manage competing claims and avoid further incidents in the region.  Tensions over the South China Sea have escalated in recent months as China grows more aggressive in asserting its claims, which has pushed its neighbors to expand military efforts, including coordination with partners like the US, in response.  South China Morning Post

UN Says China, Russia Transferring Military Aid to Myanmar.  A UN expert on Wednesday reported that Russia and China have sent $1 billion worth of weapons and other materials to Myanmar’s military junta since it seized power in a 2021 coup.  UN Special Rapporteur Tom Andrews emphasized claims that the Myanmar military has used Chinese K-8 jets and Russian MiG-29 jets or Mi-35 helicopters in attacks against civilians. Beyond the military aircraft, Andrews added that Russia had also allegedly provided Myanmar’s military with tools, spare parts, and equipment.  Furthermore, Andrews says companies in India, Thailand, and Singapore have also reportedly exported weapons to Myanmar.  Andrews is urging the UN to impose sanctions on the entities allegedly supplying the junta and enact a complete ban on arms transfers on Myanmar. Chinese and Russian officials earlier claimed their countries are engaging in lawful trade in weapons and have accused Andrews of overstepping in his reporting.  Reuters 

Middle East and Northern Africa

Russia, Iran Agree to North–South Transport Corridor Railway.   On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi agreed to finance and construct the Rasht-Astara railway, a major route that could compete with the Suez Canal and will link Iran, Russia, India, and Azerbaijan. This agreement initiates the creation of a North-South Transport Corridor, and demonstrates deepening cooperation between Tehran and Moscow, which has expanded following Western sanctions on both countries.   Reuters 

Iranian UN Ambassador to Chair UNHCR Social Forum.  Ali Bahreini, Iran’s Permanent Ambassador and Representative to the United Nations, was appointed by United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) President Vaclav Balek to chair a social forum for the UNHRC in November 2023. The forum will focus on science and technology contributions, as well as innovations that promote human rights and post-pandemic recovery. A number of human rights activists are upset by the decision to nominate the Iranian diplomat, calling it a “slap in the face” given Tehran’s crackdown on opposition and poor record on women’s rights.  Deutsche Welle 

Sub Saharan Africa

South African Minister Denounces Accusations of Corruption Within ANC.  Pravin Gordhan, Minister of Public Enterprises in South Africa, denied that there was corruption within the ruling African Nations Congress party in regards to the country’s struggling power utility.  Gordhan did say that some members may have engaged in “naughty activity,” but did not further elaborate. His comments came during parliamentary inquiry focused on the current power crisis in South Africa.  Associated Press 

Cyber and Tech

Washington Post Surveys Cyber Experts on Renewal of ‘Section 702’ Surveillance Authority. A majority – 64 percent — of the Washington Post’s network of cyber experts, responding to a recent survey on the renewal of FISA Section 702 authorities that allow for warrantless surveillance of Americans, favor retaining the authorities, with changes.  Suzanne Spaulding, a senior adviser for homeland security at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, described the Section 702 provisions as “vital to our national security” but noted that public confidence that the authorities will not be misused needs to factor into changes. One such change could be Congress codifying adjustments the FBI has already made to protect privacy.  Another popular suggestion is to require warrants when messages from Americans are swept up in eavesdropping of foreign communications.  Jamie Winterton, a global security specialist at Arizona State University, said that “agents should at least be required to have a warrant before they can access Americans’ private communications.”  According to the Post, 16 percent of survey respondents said that privacy violations under Section 702 justify its elimination.  A group agreeing with the Biden administration that Section 702 is a potent tool said Congress should reauthorize the authorities without change.  It was noted that Section 702 as currently constituted could trigger conflicts with the European Union, with one expert describing the authorities as “one of the greatest challenges in getting a stable data privacy framework agreement with the E.U.” Washington Post

Experts Tout Senate Homeland Security Committee Hearing on AI. While OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s appearance before a Senate Judiciary subcommittee on Tuesday drew intense attention, Stanford University’s AI director Russell Wald said the “real hearing” to watch was the one convened the same day by the Senate Homeland Security Committee chaired by Senator Gary Peters.  That hearing gathered representatives from government, academia, and other organizations to examine how Federal funding should be directed in AI-related efforts, including expanding the government’s AI workforce, creating public computing infrastructure, and investing in “responsible” AI tools.  According to Wald, director of policy for Stanford’s Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, “the most substantive stuff actually really happened” in the Homeland Security committee hearing.  Some repeated ideas at the hearing included proposals that each Federal agency appoint a “chief AI officer.”  The concept of creating a National AI Research Resource (NAIRR) to serve as a “sandbox” for AI researchers without access to the massive computing resources of the private sector was another common theme.  Committee chair Peters himself raised the issue of transparency in AI R&D, which he said, “comes up over and over again.”  Peters expressed concern that “black box systems” used by government agencies could generate public distrust of the technology.  Politico

IBM, Google Donate $150 Million for U.S.-Japan University Quantum-Computing R&D.  In an environment of increasing technological competition with China, IBM and Google are donating $150 million to spur research into quantum computing at the universities of Chicago and Tokyo.  The investment in the leading-edge technology research reportedly will be finalized during the G7 summit in Hiroshima.  Commenting on the donation, U.S. Ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel said “we have to count on our allies more for primary research,” noting that in the past the U.S. educated and trained Chinese students only to have them return home and “compete against us.”  Emanuel said he proposed the idea of a Chicago-Tokyo joint research effort with corporate funding when Tokyo University’s president spoke with him last year about the university’s quantum-computing program.  IBM said its $100 million contribution to the two universities would be focused on development of a quantum-centric supercomputer containing 100,000 qubits over the next 10 years.  Wall Street Journal

Russian National Charged, Sanctioned for Role in Global Ransomware Attacks. A Russian national, Mikhail Matveev, has been charged by the Justice Department with participating in ransomware attacks around the globe.  In addition, the Treasury Department has imposed a ban on financial dealings with Matveev and a $10 million reward has been offered for information leading to his arrest.  Targets of the ransomware attacks in which Matveev allegedly participated include the D.C. police and various U.S. industries.  Matveev is described as a “key actor” in a string of ransomware attacks originating in or linked to Russia between July and December 2021.  The federal indictment states that Matveev and co-conspirators deployed Babuk ransomware against D.C. police in April 2021, infecting department computer systems and extracting data, which in turn led to attempts to extort the police by threatening release of sensitive information.  As a member of the Lockbit, Hive, and Babuk gangs, Matveev was involved in ransomware campaigns that extorted nearly $200 million in payments from victims.  The investigations leading to Matveev’s indictment were conducted by the FBI, IRS, local law enforcement in D.C. and New Jersey, and officials in Japan, Britain, France, Germany and the EU.   Bloomberg StateScoop Washington Post

Ukraine Joins NATO Center for Cyber Research, Information-Sharing. Ukraine has officially joined the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE) as a “Contributing Participant.”  The CCDCOE works to expand cyber defense information-sharing among member states and to act as a hub for cyber knowledge, research, and exercises.  Mariana Betsa, the Ukrainian ambassador to Estonia, where the CCDCOE is headquartered, described Ukraine’s participation as “an important step on Ukraine's path to NATO."  Estonia’s defense minister, Hanno Pevkur, said that Ukraine’s role in the Centre “provides a unique opportunity to contribute to the defense of Ukraine in Russia's brutal war and at the same time gain knowledge on the cyber battlefield in order to improve the cyber security of all CCDCOE members."  In addition to Ukraine, Iceland, Ireland, and Japan were admitted to the CCDCOE as Contributing Participants.  Computing

Polish News Websites Hit by DDoS Attacks.  Poland’s digitalization minister announced Thursday that apparent distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks hit several Polish news websites.  The minister added that Polish authorities have “information” that suggests Russian groups were behind the attacks.  Poland has been a critical ally of Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion and claims that it has been targeted by a variety of Russian attacks in response.  Russia’s foreign ministry did not respond to requests for comment on the most recent attacks on the news outlets.  Reuters

EU Adopts Cryptocurrency Regulations To Combat Money Laundering, Increase Transparency. EU member states on Tuesday approved a wide-ranging set of cryptocurrency regulations that are scheduled to take effect in July 2024.  The new rules apply to “stablecoins,” which normally are tied to hard currency, and other digital tokens, but not to bitcoin.  The aim of the new measures is to counter money laundering and improve overall cryptocurrency transparency.  The EU regulations follow in the wake of the collapse of the FTX crypto trading exchange and the failure of the TerraUSD stablecoin.  Swedish Finance Minister Elisabeth Svantesson, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the European Council, emphasized the need to impose rules to protect European investors in crypto assets as well as to discourage money laundering and terrorist financing.  The Markets in Crypto Assets (MiCA) regulations also seek to strengthen financial stability with provisions to combat market manipulation and insider trading.  Associated Press

EU-Sponsored R&D Projects Include Chinese Universities with Military Links. Science Business is out with a report that five Chinese universities linked to China’s Defense Ministry continue to receive research benefits through programs funded by the European Union.  Included among the research projects are several that could have dual use for commercial and military applications, such as heat transfer and data security.  Four of China’s “Seven Sons of National Defense” – highly rated universities under government control – are among those participating in R&D efforts sponsored by an EU program that facilitates staff exchanges and networking among research organizations.  A Chinese technology expert consulted by Science Business, Rebecca Arcesati of Berlin’s Mercator Institute for China Studies, said “the risk of research results being redirected to defense applications in China is significant.”  She found it “remarkable” that one of the projects began as recently as March given the EU’s recent wariness of technology ties with China.  Science Business

South Korea Mounts Countermeasures to Thwart China Draining Tech Expertise. Former South Korean Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo characterized Chinese efforts to acquire high tech skills and expertise from his country as a “charm offensive” using both legal and illegal means. Yeo said the targeting of South Korean technology by China has intensified as U.S. export controls and sanctions have blocked Beijing’s access to U.S. resources.  The Financial Times reports that Chinese tactics include some unorthodox practices.  The newspaper recalls an interview with a Chinese semiconductor executive who described his practice of visiting South Korean fabrication plants at shift changes to invite engineers “to do some temporary work and earn some extra money.”  While contributing to South Korea’s “tech leakage,” China’s hiring of foreign talent can be entirely legal.  But theft of intellectual property and espionage also enter into the picture.  According to South Korea’s National Intelligence Service, confirmed leaks of “national core technologies” have increased steadily from three cases in 2017 to nine in 2020 and 10 in 2021.  South Korean authorities are creating a database of South Korean chip engineers to monitor their travel in and out of the country.  The Seoul government also has established several investigating groups to work on the matter. Financial Times

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