■ The two companies agreed not to initiate lawsuits against each other over the next 10 years regarding ceramic coated separator.
■ Both companies are dropping all the suits pending at the Patent Court and IP Trial and Appeal Board.


SK Innovation (President & CEO Jay Koo, www.SKinnovation.com) and LG Chemical announced that they agreed to drop all lawsuits against each other related to separator technology, which is core material required to build lithium-ion battery for electric vehicles.

SK Innovation and LG Chemical said on 4th said “For both company’s long-term growth and betterment, we have agreed to close drop all lawsuits against each other which initiated in 2011., and signed agreement regarding this matter.”
As a result, both companies have dropped all the patent suits pending at Patent Court and IP Trial and Appeal Board.

The two companies agreed not to initiate any kinds of lawsuit against each other within and out of Korea for the next 10 years regarding patents related to ceramic coated separator. And they also agreed to collaborate on battery technology to further sharpen their competitive edge over rivals. This fell short of a cross-licensing agreement.

[The End]


<History of Patent Lawsuit Timeline>

2011. 12.
LG Chemical sues SK Innovation of infringing on its patents at the Seoul Central District Court

2011. 12.
SK Innovation files a countersuit calling for the nullification of LG Chemical patents at IP Trial and Appeal Board

2012. 8.
IP Trial and Appeal Board nullifies LG Chemical patents

2012. 9.
LG Chemical appeals at Patent Court to overrule the IP Trial and Appeal Board‘s nullification

2013. 4.
Patent Court rejects LG Chemical’s appeal to overrule the nullification

2013. 4.
LG Chemical appeals to Supreme Court of Korea to overrule the Patent Court’s nullification

2013. 9.
IP Trial and Appeal Board affirms decision of LG Chemical’s amendment on its patent

2013. 10.
SK Innovation files a lawsuit calling for the nullification of affirmation of LG Chemical’s amendment on its patent

2013. 11.
Supreme Court of Korea remands after reversal for retrial of LG Chemical’s amended patent

2014. 2.
Seoul Central District Court rules that SK Innovation did not infringed on LG Chemical’s patent

2014. 5.
LG Chemical withdraws the patent infringement lawsuit

2014.10.
SK Innovation and LG Chemical withdraw the annulment of the trial decision regarding patent nullification and amendment nullification