Samsung seeks sales ban on LG OLED television

Samsung Display, the world’s biggest flat-screen maker, is seeking a complete sales ban on its rival LG Display’s advanced flat-screen televisions using organic light-emitting diode (OLED) technology.

On Wednesday, Samsung filed the injunction request with the Seoul Central District Court. “LG Display stole our key OLED technologies and employees. Thus, we are seeking a ban on the sale of LG’s OLED TVs in South Korea,’’ Samsung said.

The firm is also seeking $1 million in compensation, though LG Display said it doesn’t plan to pay anything to its rival.

Eleven people were previously charged with leaking the Samsung technology, according to prosecutors. Aside from the LG executives, six of the group were apparently former or current employees at Samsung Display.

LG denied all allegations of industrial espionage. It said Samsung’s request “doesn’t make any sense’’ as LG still believes none of its employees ever tried to steal the OLED technology.

“We don’t need Samsung’s OLED technology as LG Display is using WRGB-OLED technology as our key focus. It’s really silly that Samsung is making these accusations against us,’’ said Sohn Young-june, chief of LG Display’s public relations office.

OLED is considered the next-generation display technology that could eventually replace the current industry’s mainstream of LCD. Samsung and LG confirmed they will release mass-produced OLED TVs in Korea from this year.

But chances are very low that they will see a soft-landing as the price of a 55-inch OLED TV is 10 times higher than the same size of LCD set.

Meanwhile, DisplaySearch’s latest research revealed that Samsung’s OLED display manufacturing costs are currently 25 percent higher than those of LG with the 55-inch IGZO (indium gallium zinc oxide) W-OLED costing eight times that of a regular 55-inch LCD TV, while the Samsung 55-inch LTPS (low temperature polysilicon) RGB OLED set cost is ten times more.

“Time will tell who is telling the truth in this story but it’s no secret that the world of information technology is riddled with corporate espionage,’’ said an LG executive. <The Korea Times/Kim Yoo-chul>

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