“The Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy is investigating the allegations that Apple infringed on the KAIST’s FinFET-related patent. With the investigation period already extended twice, its final determination is likely to be in favor of the KAIST,” Kim Eun-jin reports for BusinessKorea. “Then, import of Apple phones such as the iPhone X may be banned.”
“‘We are currently looking into whether Apple infringed on the patent of KIP, a subsidiary company of the KAIST,’ said the Korea Trade Commission under the ministry, adding, ‘The targets include iPhone 8, iPhone 8+, iPhone X, iPad 9.7, and 9.7-, 10.5-, and 12.9-inch iPad Pro imported from China and Hong Kong,” Kim reports.
“The investigation revolves around whether the FinFET patent of the KAIST is valid. In this regard, the commission is focusing on the logic of Samsung Electronics, which is currently engaged in litigation against the KAIST in the United States,” Kim reports. “Samsung Electronics already submitted some evidence to the competent U.S. court to invalidate the patent. In addition, the company filed a similar lawsuit in July this year with the Intellectual Property Trial and Approval Board of South Korea.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: If even Samsung is on Apple’s side, this investigation is unlikely to lead to a ban of Apple products in South Korea, which is often referred to as “the Republic of Samsung.”
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Samsung and Apple make strange bedfellows in this case.
No great loss. And nobody cares SK.
I would think many S. Koreans would be unhappy about such a ban. Plenty of S. Koreans buy Apple products which include iPhones. Suppose we put a ban on Samsung products in the U.S. That would put a serious butt-hurt on Samsung.
SK is in a very delicate position right now. With Trump eatery are very likely to have an irrational act, like tariffs on Samsung products or the start of pulling troops out of SK. Best that folks in SK Government avoid confrontations while Swamp Mouth is in the Oval Office.