Samsung wins South Korean court battle against Apple

Proving that jurisdiction does matter, South Korea's Samsung scored a major victory over arch-rival and key customer Apple.

In terms of the findings of the Seoul court, Samsung did not copy Apple's iPhone and iPad, but Apple did copy Samsung's wireless technology.

The relatively scantily-reported verdict came on August 24, the very same day on which Apple triumphed over Samsung in a courtroom not far from the American company's headquarters.

In terms of Samsung's victory, a partial ban on the sale of Apple products in South Korea is now in place. Samsung is also seeking something of an offset against the US$2.75-billion Apple is after in the USA, seeking payment of damages to the tune of US$422-million.

But it wasn't all Samsung's way. Even with home-ground advantage, Seoul found that Samsung did indeed infringe on Apple's 'bounce back' technology. As such, some of its products are in turn banned – but, as with Apple, it is mostly older stuff.

Ars Technica provides a little more colour to the story.

If anything, this instalment in the patent wars shows that when elephants fight, it is the grass that takes the biggest beating. In this case, that means customers suffer. Expect more of the same as the litigation steps up a gear with appeals likely all round.

Tell us what you think: Was Samsung as bound to win in South Korea as Apple was in the United States? Do the respective verdicts build faith in the justice systems of either country?