Ford Motor Co on Friday dismissed criticism from the U.S. International Trade Commission for not being based on a public interest hearing, noting that it committed to SK Innovation's battery programs before any misconduct had surfaced.
The US carmaker said the “key facts” would have emerged if the ITC conducted a hearing.
Ford said it does not condone actions that SK is accused of, referring to accusations of trade secret misappropriation and destroying of evidence during an investigation.
The ITC criticized Ford for pursuing new EV contracts with SK even after evidence had emerged that the South Korean EV battery maker misappropriated trade secrets from LG Chem.
Last month, the ITC issued a limited 10-year exclusion order prohibiting imports of SK-made lithium-ion batteries.
The ITC permitted SK to import components for producing batteries for Ford’s EV F-150 program for four years, and Volkswagen’s MEB electric vehicle line for North America for two years.
SK wants the ITC decision to be overturned by President Joe Biden and warned it would halt construction of a $2.6 billion battery plant in Georgia if it is not.


Oil Prices Slip as U.S.-Iran Talks Ease Middle East Tensions
U.S. Stock Futures Rise as Markets Brace for Jobs and Inflation Data
Asian Markets Surge as Japan Election, Fed Rate Cut Bets, and Tech Rally Lift Global Sentiment
Gold and Silver Prices Rebound After Volatile Week Triggered by Fed Nomination
Dow Hits 50,000 as U.S. Stocks Stage Strong Rebound Amid AI Volatility
India–U.S. Interim Trade Pact Cuts Auto Tariffs but Leaves Tesla Out
Japanese Pharmaceutical Stocks Slide as TrumpRx.gov Launch Sparks Market Concerns
Australian Household Spending Dips in December as RBA Tightens Policy
Yen Slides as Japan Election Boosts Fiscal Stimulus Expectations
Singapore Budget 2026 Set for Fiscal Prudence as Growth Remains Resilient
Dollar Near Two-Week High as Stock Rout, AI Concerns and Global Events Drive Market Volatility
U.S.-India Trade Framework Signals Major Shift in Tariffs, Energy, and Supply Chains
Trump Lifts 25% Tariff on Indian Goods in Strategic U.S.–India Trade and Energy Deal
U.S. Stock Futures Slide as Tech Rout Deepens on Amazon Capex Shock
China Extends Gold Buying Streak as Reserves Surge Despite Volatile Prices
Trump’s Inflation Claims Clash With Voters’ Cost-of-Living Reality 



