China confirmed on Tuesday it had detained a South Korean citizen for alleged spying, as Beijing ramps up vigilance against perceived threats to national security.

South Korea’s Yonhap news service, citing diplomatic sources in Seoul, reported Monday that Chinese authorities had held the man in his 50s since late last year.

It said Chinese prosecutors had formally detained him “a few months ago” under a revised anti-espionage law, marking the first time that a South Korean national had been targeted in such a case.

Beijing’s foreign ministry confirmed on Tuesday that a South Korean citizen was arrested “on suspicions of espionage by relevant Chinese authorities in accordance with the law”.

“Relevant authorities have… provided the necessary expedience for (South Korean) embassy officials to perform their consular duties,” ministry spokesman Lin Jian said at a regular news briefing in Beijing.

He gave no details of the man’s identity or his alleged crimes.

According to Yonhap, the unnamed man works for a semiconductor company in China and was living in the eastern city of Hefei at the time of his detention.

Chinese authorities reportedly suspect him of leaking sensitive information on semiconductors, the powerful microchips that are a frequent source of trade tensions between Beijing and Western competitors.

China’s amended anti-espionage law came into force in July 2023, widening the definition of spying and banning the transfer of any data related to what authorities define as national security.

For years, Beijing has traded mutual allegations of espionage with countries including the United States, Britain, Canada, and Japan.