Samsung, LG wash dirty laundry in two separate court cases

LG Electronics' home appliances top brass Jo Seong-jin has been indicted for allegedly sabotaging four of Samsung Electronics' high-end washing machines at a trade show last year.

LG said on Sunday Jo and two others had been indicted by South Korean prosecutors for the alleged sabotage in Berlin last September.

Separately, on Friday, four Samsung Display employees were indicted on charges of stealing organic light-emitting diode display panel technology from LG Electronics affiliate LG Display, according to Reuters.

Ham Yoon-keun, a lawyer who will be defending Jo in court, said in a statement provided by LG to Reuters yesterday: "It is questionable whether there is sufficient evidence to prove that the president of a global company deliberately destroyed the machines where employees of the competing company were present.

"The truth will be revealed in the courts," he added.

Samsung declined to comment on the matter.

Samsung reported the matter to prosecutors back in September, 2014, claiming washing machines at two stores in Germany had been deliberately targeted during the IFA trade show for consumer electronics and home appliances in Berlin.

LG dismissed the allegations, claiming the execs had mistakenly damaged the doors of two washing machines in one store, attributing the damage to "weak hinges" on one of the models. Its senior staffers insisted the event was a simple mishap, Reuters reported. LG added that German police had quizzed the company's officials following the incident.

Its employees apparently agreed to pay for four damaged Samsung washing machines, even though they claimed to have only snapped the doors on two of the appliances.

El Reg has contacted LG for further comment. ®