[News] Huawei Reportedly Hires Over 300 Korean R&D Experts as China Steps Up Tech Talent Hunt

According to CBS NoCut News, more than 300 South Korean R&D professionals were employed at Huawei as of this June, underscoring a growing trend of Korean science and engineering talent seeking new opportunities in China. Sources emphasized that these individuals are not ethnic Koreans of Chinese descent, but South Korean nationals mainly educated in Korea.

Sources cited in the report point out that many of these Koreans are active professionals rather than retirees or soon-to-retire scientists, challenging the long-held perception that only those nearing the end of their careers move to China.

In addition, the report notes that the migration of South Korean science and engineering talent to China is increasingly seen as being driven not only by high salaries, but also by an environment that strongly values technical expertise.

Since 2018, when the U.S. began imposing sanctions to slow China’s technological ascent, major Chinese universities and tech firms have stepped up efforts to recruit skilled professionals—with Korean scientists and engineers becoming prime targets, as the report highlights.

Supporting this, the report cites a May survey by the Korean Academy of Science and Technology, which found that 61.5% of its 200 full members had received recruitment offers from overseas research institutions within the past five years. Among them, an overwhelming 82.9% said the offers came from China.

Moreover, China’s drive to attract Korean talent appears to be long-standing. According to sources cited in the report, even before the U.S. sanctions were introduced, a key task of Chinese embassy staff in Seoul was to identify South Korean scientists and engineers who might be encouraged to relocate to China.

China’s active efforts to recruit R&D talent are beginning to show tangible results. According to Chosun Ilbo, Huawei employs about 210,000 people, of whom 114,000—more than half—work in research and development. This number is almost four times the combined workforce of SK Telecom, KT, and LG Uplus.

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(Photo credit: Huawei)