LG countersues Samsung on quarrel over washer

By Kang Yoon-seung

SEOUL, Dec. 21 (Yonhap) -- LG Electronics Inc., currently in the middle of a legal dispute with rival Samsung Electronics Co. after being accused of vandalizing Samsung products at German shops earlier this year, said Sunday it will countersue the local competitor for defamation and forging evidence.

LG executive Jo Seong-jin, one of the company officials accused in the case, said he will comply with a prosecution summons for questioning next month.

Samsung in September asked the prosecution to investigate senior executives of LG, including Jo, president of the home appliance division, charging that they intentionally vandalized Samsung's washing machines that were displayed at retail chain shops in Berlin. The incident took place around the time of a global electronics show in the German capital.

According to Samsung, LG staff members were reported to the local police by shop clerks at the Berlin shops after being spotted breaking the doors of Samsung Crystal Blue washing machines. CCTV footage showed them pressing down on the doors of the machines until they would not close properly, according to the claims.

"In the video footage that Samsung disclosed to the media, there is a scene where a person who seems to be from Samsung hits the machine many times. And it is hard to determine whether the vandalized machine that Samsung handed in to the prosecution (as evidence) is the same as the ones from Germany," LG said in its release.

It argued that if the machine provided as evidence is the one shown in this footage, then Samsung is guilty of tampering with evidence and ultimately defaming LG.

"Also, while LG Electronics had asked Samsung to hand in the damaged washer to the prosecution, Samsung did not do so until very recently, despite having it in possession since September. This is tantamount to concealing evidence with an intention," LG said.

Jo, who has not been responding to prosecution's summons, said he will cooperate with the probe after the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January ends. LG said the German prosecution decided not to indict people in the case.

colin@yna.co.kr
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