CreatripTeam

The Korea Fair Trade Commission (KFTC) fined car parts maker KAFAK Valeo (카펙발레오) 410 million KRW for unlawfully using and sharing a supplier’s technical data. The supplier submitted an ECR review request (Technical Specification Change Request) after finding defects caused by KAFAK Valeo’s dimension changes to a borrowed drawing (대여도면). The ECR contained 198 technical items—including tolerance and shape details—and had independent economic value. Without consulting the supplier, KAFAK Valeo incorporated the supplier’s proposed values into its own drawing and provided that drawing to a third party (a competitor). The KFTC also found KAFAK Valeo failed to provide written notices when requesting technical materials from six subcontractors. The commission said this is the first case recognizing an ECR review request as protected technical data and stressed it will monitor and curb technology theft to protect small manufacturers’ competitive base.