This undated file photo provided by Samsung Display Co. shows its headquarters in Yongin, south of Seoul. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Aug. 13 (Korea Bizwire) — Samsung Display Co. has virtually won a U.S. lawsuit against BOE Technology Group Co., with Washington’s trade watchdog imposing a near 15-year import ban on the Chinese rival’s organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panels, sources said Wednesday.
According to the sources, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) made a preliminary ruling to ban imports of BOE’s OLED panels for 14 years and eight months under a “limited exclusion order,” which came around two years after Samsung Display filed the lawsuit in October 2023.
While the final verdict is set to be delivered in November, industry watchers said the preliminary ruling is unlikely to be overturned as it acknowledged BOE has infringed Samsung Display’s trade secrets.
The ITC said last month Samsung Display has proven that BOE has infringed at least one of its protectable trade secrets, noting that the Chinese player has “injured and threatens to substantially injure a domestic industry” in the U.S.
Industry watchers, however, said the ruling will not lead to a significant drop in BOE’s market share in the OLED sector, as finished products equipped with its panels, including Apple’s iPhones, are not subject to the restriction.
“While the verdict is not likely to lead to a significant change in the OLED market, it may still cause burden for finished products with Chinese OLED panels,” an industry official said. “In the long run, South Korean companies may enjoy benefits in the U.S. OLED market.”
(Yonhap)
