[경제]LG-SK’battery war’,’strong river clash’ over biden’s veto

[앵커]

The’battery war’ between LG Energy Solution and SK Innovation continued to collide with the’strong river’, further increasing the possibility of a dramatic agreement.

The confrontation between the two sides is intensifying as the deadline for President Joe Biden’s veto against the US International Trade Commission and ITC’s’Skip the Import of SK Batteries’ is approaching.

Reporter Lee Kwang-yeop.

[기자]

Recently, LG Energy Solutions announced a plan to build two battery factories by investing more than 5 trillion won in the US by 2025.

When a large-scale investment plan was unprecedentedly disclosed without securing a factory site, SK Innovation strongly opposed.

This is because it is observed that the target of this investment could include the electric vehicle battery plant in Georgia, which SK Innovation is building from 2019.

If the International Trade Commission acknowledges the infringement of trade secrets against LG and a measure that prohibits importing batteries for 10 years is confirmed, the SK Georgia plant will virtually lose its place.

SK has put its last hope on President Biden’s right to veto sanctions by the International Trade Commission on the basis of investment and job retention in Georgia.

SK Innovation said, “LG’s irresponsible and out-of-progress veto activity for the President of the United States will only arouse the rejection of the American society.”

[김병도 / SK이노베이션 홍보실 팀장 : SK이노베이션은 미국 ITC 결정에 따라 조지아주 전기차 배터리 공장 관련 많은 옵션을 검토 중입니다. 하지만 LG에너지솔루션에 매각하는 것은 어떤 경우라도 검토 대상이 될 수 없습니다.]

In response, LG Energy Solutions confronted that “the core of the matter is that companies that have violated their trade secrets should make reasonable compensation for damages.”

He then made it clear that he did not want the state to suffer any penalties, and that he plans to do the best it can.

There is concern that the confrontation between the two companies will intensify as the deadline for President Biden to exercise his veto is approaching on the 11th of next month.

[이호근 / 대덕대 자동차학과 교수 : 결국 폭스바겐같은 전기차를 생산하는 업체도 CATL이나 중국 업체와 손을 잡는다고 하는 상황에서 국내 전체 (배터리) 3사들이 힘을 합쳐서 전 세계에서의 점유율을 어느 정도 유지해야 될 필요가 있다고 봅니다.]

Apart from the previous trade secret infringement case, LG’s preliminary decision on the battery patent infringement case filed against SK to the International Trade Commission is also scheduled to come out this weekend, which is expected to be a new turning point.

YTN Lee Kwang-yeop[[email protected]]is.

[저작권자(c) YTN & YTN plus 무단전재 및 재배포 금지]