I don't think it's a smear campaign per say, Samsung stole their their way to display tech dominance. It's just recognition that these tactics are still being embraced in lagging industries in some countries. ASML has no-touch policy for Samsung employees for their scanners, they've been pretty savvy in mitigating attempts at copying their tech for the last 20 years.

Also I didn't mean to implicate Samsung was behind the attacks, merely they benefited most from stolen trade secrets - XTAL directly compete against ASML in Korean using the secret. The same way Huawei and BOE will benefit from flexible screen tech stolen by Samsung subcontractor Toptek. So far these have been economically motivated - thieves not spies.

I think state level espionage is going to happen soon, now that ASML has been pressured to pick sides.