LG Energy Solution Ltd. and SK Innovation are in the middle of a legal battle concerning battery patents. Their cases are being handled by the U.S. International Trade Commission, and while some decisions were already announced weeks ago, there is still a preliminary finding coming up.
Last-minute announcement of the ruling delay
The ruling was scheduled this month, but The Korea Herald reported the date had been moved. The outlet stated on Friday, March 19, that the preliminary decision on the battery patent infringement lawsuit between LG Energy and SK Innovation was delayed and rescheduled for next month.
Originally, the US ITC was supposed to hand down the initial ruling on March 19 (U.S. time), but rather than the decision, an announcement to postpone was relayed to the companies concerned. The new date has been set to April 2, which means a 2-week delay. In a statement, the agency said it just needs more time to make a decision.
"Additional time will be needed to complete the initial determination, which will require an extension of the target date," the ITC stated on Thursday, March 18.
The legal battle between LG and SK started in 2019 when the former filed a trade secret case against the latter. The South Korean companies’ conflict continued to this day, with both sides filing additional multiple patent charges against each other.
SK banned from importing batteries
Korea Joongang Daily previously reported that LG alleged that SKI misappropriated trade secrets on EV batteries by hiring the firm’s former employees, which SKI denied. LG Chem Ltd., which owns LG Energy, then filed a patent infringement lawsuit in September 2019.
LG stated that SKI violated four U.S. patents related to its lithium-ion battery technology for EV cars. In its countersuit, SK also accused its rival of infringing its electric vehicle battery patents.
In February, LG’s first win in the dispute was established when the U.S. ITC ruled in its favor by banning SK from importing batteries and components for 10 years. While there is a ban, the commission allowed SK to supply components to Ford, Kia, and Volkswagen in the U.S. This is a temporary permit to give the carmakers time to find new suppliers.


Once Upon a Farm Raises Nearly $198 Million in IPO, Valued at Over $724 Million
Instagram Outage Disrupts Thousands of U.S. Users
Baidu Approves $5 Billion Share Buyback and Plans First-Ever Dividend in 2026
American Airlines CEO to Meet Pilots Union Amid Storm Response and Financial Concerns
Global PC Makers Eye Chinese Memory Chip Suppliers Amid Ongoing Supply Crunch
TSMC Eyes 3nm Chip Production in Japan with $17 Billion Kumamoto Investment
CK Hutchison Launches Arbitration After Panama Court Revokes Canal Port Licences
Trump Backs Nexstar–Tegna Merger Amid Shifting U.S. Media Landscape
Hims & Hers Halts Compounded Semaglutide Pill After FDA Warning
Nasdaq Proposes Fast-Track Rule to Accelerate Index Inclusion for Major New Listings
Ford and Geely Explore Strategic Manufacturing Partnership in Europe
Nvidia, ByteDance, and the U.S.-China AI Chip Standoff Over H200 Exports
SpaceX Pushes for Early Stock Index Inclusion Ahead of Potential Record-Breaking IPO
Toyota’s Surprise CEO Change Signals Strategic Shift Amid Global Auto Turmoil
Prudential Financial Reports Higher Q4 Profit on Strong Underwriting and Investment Gains
Sony Q3 Profit Jumps on Gaming and Image Sensors, Full-Year Outlook Raised
Alphabet’s Massive AI Spending Surge Signals Confidence in Google’s Growth Engine 



