Apple's Legal Battle with Samsung Comes to South Korea

Less than one month after concluding its first domestic patent dispute, Apple AAPL is preparing for a full-scale battle with Samsung in its homeland. According to The Wall Street Journal, Apple alleges that Samsung is abusing its position as a market leader of third-generation wireless technology. Apple filed a complaint, which is now being investigated by a South Korean regulator. Unlike the domestic and international patent disputes, this particular battle is unlikely to lead to a product ban or a billion-dollar penalty. It could, however, result in sanctions and a closer eye being placed on the way Samsung conducts its business. Samsung has typically responded to Apple's legal complaints by countersuing the company, but that is not an option in this instance. Samsung's only recourse is to prove that it does, as a spokesman told The Wall Street Journal, meet its obligations "to the fair licensing of its telecommunications standards-related patents." Sales of Samsung products reportedly increased after the jury announced its verdict in the domestic Apple/Samsung patent trial. The jury found that Samsung was guilty of infringing on Apple's patents and ordered Samsung to pay more than $1 billion. While sales of Samsung products may have increased at first, Yahoo! Finance YHOO recently found that 15 percent of consumers will never buy a Samsung product again now that the company has been found guilty. Some have speculated that the verdict will lead to a cross-licensing deal between the two firms, preventing any significant amount of money from changing hands. Licensing deals can be an important source of income. In 2011, Nokia NOK received a cash settlement and royalties from Apple after winning a patent dispute that lasted almost two years. Last winter, Apple paid $5 million to settle a patent dispute with Elan Microelectronics Corp. Elan alleged that Apple infringed on two of its touch-related patents. Apple paid another $60 million to settle a trademark dispute with Proview. Apple's ongoing patent disputes will continue not only with Samsung but with a large number of corporations worldwide. In July, National Cheng Kung University filed a lawsuit against Apple over its use of Siri. The university, which is based in Taiwan, claims that Siri infringes on its patents. Follow me @LouisBedigianBZ