LS Cable & System Co. strengthened its position in a patent battle against domestic rival Taihan Cable & Solution Co., Ltd. after a South Korean high patent court upheld a lower court ruling in LS Cable’s favor while tripling the damages award.
The appellate court ordered Taihan to pay 1.5 billion won ($1.0 million) in compensation, up from the 490 million won initially awarded in September 2022. The dispute began in August 2019 when LS Cable claimed Taihan’s joint kit for connecting bus ducts infringed on its patent rights.
The ruling could be a prelude to a more substantial legal confrontation. If confirmed by South Korea’s Supreme Court, the patent fight may escalate into a billion-dollar lawsuit over LS Cable’s submarine cable manufacturing facility design.
South Korean authorities are investigating allegations that LS Cable’s factory design for high-voltage direct current cables, reportedly developed with an investment of about 1 trillion won, was leaked to Taihan.
HVDC cables, critical components in smart grids and offshore power plants, are produced by only six companies globally, including LS Cable.
Taihan has denied the allegations, asserting it developed its submarine cable manufacturing technology independently.
