<Anchor> It is a
friendly economic time.
Today (10th) will be with reporter Kim Hye-min.
Reporter Kim, I think today is a story related to a lawsuit, but Korean companies are suing for electric vehicle batteries. They say that the results will come out tomorrow in the US. But first, please explain how this lawsuit began.
<Reporter>
Everyone knows that battery technology in Korea is global, so there will be many people who are interested in the outcome of this lawsuit.
The litigation battle between LG Energy Solution and SK Innovation started quite a long time ago.
In April 2019, LG filed a complaint with ITC for infringing trade secrets against SK.
It is said that about 100 of LG's core personnel have moved to SK, but they also leaked battery-related trade secrets and patents.
Since then, in February of last year, the ITC ruled SK's early loss, which was challenged by SK, and the court accepted a request for a review.
And this time, only the sentence remains, but ITC has postponed this sentence three times so far, and the final result is expected to come out around the morning of tomorrow in Korea time.
<Anchor>
But reporter Kim, this is a lawsuit between Korean companies. Then, it seems that it is possible to file a lawsuit in Korea. Why is the lawsuit in the US?
<Reporter>
Yes, the US ITC has one litigation process that does not exist in Korea.
It's called the'Proof of Evidence'. For example, if an ITC judge ordered the submission of documents, but if you do not follow this and are found through forensic, this alone will affect the lawsuit.
Through this procedure, LG said that it would reliably determine the status of SK's technology leak, and LG also asked ITC to ban the import of SK's battery parts and materials to the United States.
SK is currently building a battery plant in Georgia, USA, and losing this lawsuit will limit the operation of the US plant.
Of course, there are several complaints and lawsuits in the country.
As you can see, LG sued SK for leaking industrial technology to the police and prosecutors. However, the investigation result has not yet come out. On the contrary, SK filed a lawsuit against LG in the Seoul Central District Law to "withdraw the lawsuit filed against ITC." Filed.
However, this lawsuit was defeated by SK in the first trial, and an appeal trial is currently underway.
It is known that the legal expenses spent by the two companies alone amounted to hundreds of billions of won in litigation at home and abroad.
<Anchor>
Then, let's talk about the lawsuit that is taking place in the US, where the results will come again tomorrow. Then, what is the most important issue in this lawsuit?
<Reporter>
Yes, here, LG is demanding compensation for damages, saying that SK's technology leak is causing the damage.
On the other hand, SK claims that it is a normal career turnover, and that there has been no technology leak.
The amount proposed by LG for the agreement is trillions of won, but SK believes that it can only give hundreds of billions of won.
Recently, even Prime Minister Jeong Sye-gyun said, "The two companies need to step back and solve this problem quickly."
However, even today, one day after the sentence, there is no difference between the two sides, so the agreement must be seen as virtually overrun.
In addition, the government's intervention to settle disputes between private companies is a situation where criticisms such as "may disturb market order" are emerging.
<Anchor>
Reporter Kim, how can we predict the outcome of our sentence tomorrow?
<Reporter>
Yes, there are one or three cases here. First of all, ITC will determine LG's victory.
In this case, SK's batteries, parts and materials are completely banned from importing to the US.
The establishment of the factory will also stop.
However, this is not the scenario that the US wants.
President Biden has set the goal of eco-friendliness and job creation, and SK's Georgia plant will open more than 2,000 jobs.
But this can disappear.
In addition, the production of electric vehicles by Ford and Volkswagen, which have signed supply contracts with SK, will also be hit, which is why the US media is also interested in lawsuits by Korean companies.
So, while ITC admits SK's loss, take a separate look at the public interest, and you can put on this condition.
Thirdly, there is a direction in which President Biden vetoes this decision after LG wins the final victory.
Whatever the decision, if one company appeals, the trial continues, and the size of the reparation will be contested in another court.
Both sides must take at least three or four more years of litigation risk.First of all, after watching the ITC decision tomorrow, it is expected that the two times will enter into a fierce battle before the litigation and which are more advantageous during the settlement.