LG unhappy as Samsung ends lawsuit

LG Electronics yesterday condemned Samsung Display, a day after Samsung announced it would drop a patent suit over liquid-crystal display technology.

LG Electronics said Samsung Electronics, parent company of Samsung Display, should offer compensation regardless.

The two display giants have been embroiled in a patent dispute over LCD technology since December. Samsung Display filed the suit claiming LG Electronics and LG Display had violated key LCD patents.

“We cannot help but doubt Samsung’s true intention, since it was Samsung that dragged LG into the patent lawsuit out of nowhere,” said LG Electronics.

LG said it is determined to thoroughly examine Samsung’s proposal to end the patent battle, while criticizing the display giant for not revealing its position on compensation for infringing on LG’s patents.

“LG Electronics has been constantly urging Samsung Electronics to drop the lawsuit and to provide fair compensation for the unauthorized use of patents. The latest decision seems to have come from its review of LG’s patents,” said LG Electronics.

Samsung cited avoiding lengthy and costly patent disputes as a reason for its decision.

“As the patent affects sound development of the industrial technology, it is an international convention to reasonably calculate and pay royalties considering the level of exclusiveness and sales of the patent, when a patent issue occurs between corporations,” said LG.

LG Electronics continued to strongly denounce Samsung, saying it is beyond common sense and rationality that it is attempting to cover up the patent issues as the matter was between domestic companies.

By Kim Jung-yoon [kjy@joongang.co.kr]