Input 2021.02.11 07:27 | Revision 2021.02.11 08:04
According to foreign media on the 11th, the US ITC decided to ban imports from the US for 10 years on some of SK Innovation’s batteries. It was LG’s hand in a lawsuit for infringement of trade secrets filed by LG Energy Solutions against SK Innovation.
However, ITC allowed SK to supply batteries for four years, with an exception to Ford, which makes electric vehicles in the United States. It also announced that it will allow supply for two years to Volkswagen, which is establishing an electric vehicle plant in the US.
The lawsuit began in April 2019. LG Chem, the parent company of LG Energy Solutions, filed a lawsuit claiming that SK Innovation leaked a large amount of core battery-related technologies.
LG is claiming that over the past two years from 2017, SK Innovation has removed 76 key personnel from all areas of its battery business division. It is argued that there is a situation where trade secrets have been passed, such as downloading thousands of documents from the company’s system before they left the job.
On the other hand, SK Innovation refuted that it had never leaked its trade secrets and that hiring was transparent.
This ruling is ITC’s final decision on a lawsuit for infringement of trade secrets filed by LG Chem in 2019.