SK’s battery decision to break the gap… “Once I go back to the factory”

Electric vehicle battery charging station in Spain. [로이터=연합뉴스]

In the case of a dispute over the infringement of electric vehicle battery trade secrets, SK Innovation decided to force the operation of its factories in the US instead of an agreement with LG Energy Solutions. The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) prevented SK from importing items necessary for battery production into the United States, but the factory was operated using the phrase’Commission Opinion’ to the effect of’receiving approval for importation for individual items’. Is to continue.

According to the ruling released on the 5th, ITC said, “LG has proven concretely and probably that it is taking unfair gains by using the trade secrets infringed by SK in all areas.” “If SK did not infringe on LG’s trade secrets, it did not have enough manpower or ability to develop the technology within 10 years. The period for the ban on imports from the United States for battery production products was set at 10 years.”

SK, which has a plant in Georgia, USA, will virtually stop operating the plant if it cannot import goods. In this regard, an SK official stressed that “ITC has admitted that the scope of trade secrets that pointed out the infringement is ambiguous,” and emphasized that “I ordered separate approval for whether individual imported goods would actually fall under ban”. It means that it will continue to operate the factory after obtaining approval for import from the US government to see if each item has a trade secret infringement. For goods subject to a decision to ban import, it is also considering paying a deposit for agreement to the court and temporarily suspending its effect.

The ITC ruling is finalized after US President Joe Biden’s Presidential Review is approved. In response to the ITC decision, SK has delivered an opinion to the White House stating that “there was no judgment on what the trade secret was infringed or how it was violated”.

Another way to resolve sanctions is an agreement between LG and SK. Although SK has stated its intention to settle the agreement, it has not changed its position, saying, “The settlement amount for trillions of dollars known in the market is excessive”. LG said, “It depends on SK’s sincere attitude,” and said, “Because similar disputes may arise with battery makers in other countries in the future, we need a message that we will take full responsibility for the infringement of trade secrets.”

Reporter Sunwook Choi [email protected]