US ITC Investigation Office: "SK Inno Negligent in Submission Obligations"

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyungsoo Park] The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) Office of Unfair Import Investigations (OUII) has ruled in favor of LG Chem. LG Chem, which is currently in a patent lawsuit with SK Innovation, requested sanctions against SK Innovation for destroying evidence. It appears that LG Chem has gained an advantageous position in the trade secret infringement lawsuit.

According to the ITC on the 27th, the OUII recently submitted a brief to the court supporting LG Chem's request to sanction SK Innovation.

LG Chem claimed, "SK Innovation was aware that LG Chem's technology was prior art even before registering patent 994 in June 2015," and added, "They destroyed evidence until March of this year to conceal the facts."

The OUII brief acknowledged the circumstances of evidence destruction presented by LG Chem and SK Innovation's intentionality, concluding that the sanctions requested by LG Chem against SK Innovation are appropriate.

OUII pointed out, "SK Innovation failed to properly submit documents ordered by the ITC judge, but forensic analysis discovered those documents," calling it a "clear violation of the duty to disclose evidence."