SK Innovation mulling over whether to object to U.S. interim ruling

SEOUL, March 3 (Yonhap) -- SK Innovation Co., a major energy and chemical company in South Korea, is considering whether to present its objections to a recent U.S. panel's preliminary ruling in favor of its local rival LG Chem Ltd. over their electric vehicle (EV) battery trade secret case, a company official said Tuesday.

The deadline is March 3 (U.S. time), the official said. The objection is a customary procedure asking the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) to reconsider its ruling.

The move came more than two weeks after the commission made a preliminary ruling in favor of LG Chem.

LG Chem has said the preliminary ruling means that the ITC accepted LG Chem's claims and made a default judgment without having additional hearings or investigations.

In November, LG Chem asked the ITC to make an early decision on the case and recognize that SK Innovation had misappropriated and used its EV battery trade secrets.

LG Chem claimed that SK Innovation had spoiled evidence in the case and is guilty of civil contempt, saying that its local rival did not follow the ITC's digital forensics orders.

The ITC is set to give its final ruling no later than Oct. 5.

LG Chem and SK Innovation have been at loggerheads over EV battery-related trade secrets since last year, filing multiple lawsuits in the United States and South Korea.

Both sides hinted at a settlement following the ITC decision, with LG Chem saying the door to dialogue is open. SK Innovation said that although it competes with LG Chem, it also thinks of the rival company as a partner with which it can foster the industry.

entropy@yna.co.kr
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