Samsung Biologics takes Lotte to court over secrets leak

Samsung Biologics’ third plant in Songdo, Incheon [SAMSUNG BIOLOGICS]

Samsung Biologics is seeking a preliminary injunction against Lotte Biologics for stealing trade secrets.

While Samsung has been taking several legal actions against its former employees since last year, this is the first time that the biopharmaceutical company is taking Lotte Biologics to court for an alleged trade secret theft.

Seoul Central District Court held a close-door hearing for Samsung’s complaint on Wednesday, after the company filed a motion for a preliminary injunction against Lotte Biologics and three of its former employees in March, according to local media outlets. The hearing will be completed in early August.

In March, prosecutors indicted a Lotte Biologics employee on charges of stealing trade secrets from Samsung Biologics, after Samsung Biologics sued four of its employees who are suspected of leaking critical trade secrets to Lotte.

The Incheon District Prosecutors’ Office indicted the employee in relation to having stolen trade secrets from Samsung, including some documents outlining things such as standard operating procedures, in June last year before moving to Lotte Biologics.

Samsung Biologics first applied for an injunction for the infringement of trade secrets by three employees who moved to Lotte Biologics in May last year.
In response, the Incheon District Court issued an injunction against the infringement of trade secrets filed by Samsung Biologics, preventing Lotte Biologics' use of the leaked business secrets.

Lotte Biologics CEO Richard Lee served as the head of the drug product business unit at Samsung Biologics before joining Lotte.

BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]