The bitterness between consumer electronics giants Samsung and LG Electronics is escalating with Samsung now accusing LG of stealing confidential air conditioning business plans.
Last week Samsung alleged vandalism by LG executives on Samsung’s washers during the IFA fair in Berlin earlier this month
Yesterday the Seoul Central District Prosecutors’ Office said that they have started an investigation into allegations that several LG Electronics executives stole the company’s business plan, which was submitted to the Korea Institute of Energy Technology Evaluation and Planning in 2009.
The KETEP invited public and private companies for projects to jointly develop energy-saving air-conditioner projects.
Three former executives of LG Electronics are under investigation on suspicion of stealing the Samsung documents during the selection process.
The allegation was disclosed by a former executive of system air-conditioner division at LG, surnamed Yoon, in prison for malpractices since last year. Yoon insisted he stole the Samsung business plan, and that two other executives colluded in the process.
An LG spokesman, however, dismissed Yoon’s allegations.
Last week Samsung filed a complaints with the prosecution calling on them to investigate several LG executives for allegedly damaging five Samsung washing machines in Berlin ahead of the 2014 IFA electronics show.
LG’s head of home appliances Jo Seong-jin is one of the executives being investigated, and the prosecutors’ office has started looking into the allegations.
Samsung insisted the LG executives “deliberately” destroyed the company’s premium washing machines displayed at retail stores in Berlin.
The company said personnel at the Europacenter in Berlin called the police after a man broke the doors of two of the company’s washing machines, and it also secured the CCTV footage of Jo pushing the door hinges of the washing machines strongly several times on purpose in the Stegliz shop.
