S.Korea to launch patent infringement probe into China-made smartphone battery

Seoul: South Korea's trade commission said on Thursday it will launch a probe into alleged patent infringement involving a China-made smartphone battery and battery material.

The Korea Trade Commission (KTC) said it plans to look into whether the patent by LG Chem Ltd.'s cathode material utilized in battery production, known as NCM811, was infringed by three Chinese firms and a local importer.

The material is a mix of nickel, cobalt and manganese, used to improve the power capacity of batteries, reports Yonhap news agency.

The commission is also set to investigate a petition submitted by the Semiconductor Energy Laboratory, a Japan-based entity, which claimed a battery patent infringement by a Chinese smartphone sold in South Korea.

The agency, however, did not reveal the name of the Chinese brand.

In a separate move, the commission launched an anti-dumping investigation into Chinese PET resins imported here following the claim filed by TK Chemical Corp.

The material is used in the production of bottles, food packages and other industrial areas. The commission said it plans to come up with a preliminary ruling by June.