Samsung faces antitrust probe in Korea thanks to Apple complaint

SMARTPHONE AND TABLET RIVALS Apple and Samsung are still at it, as Apple has accused its nemesis of breaching fair trade laws in South Korea.

Apple has filed a complaint accusing Samsung of abusing its dominant position in the wireless market, the Washington Post reports, following its $1bn jury verdict against Samsung in its high-profile patent lawsuit.

"We are reviewing whether allegations in the complaint lodged by Apple are true," said a Korean Fair Trade Commission official, who declined to be named because they weren't authorized to speak to the press. "Apple filed a complaint earlier this year that Samsung is breaching fair trade laws," the official said.

According to the complaint, Samsung is intentionally trying to harm Apple's position and market share in its home country of South Korea.

Samsung told The INQUIRER that it was unable to comment on the matter, but added, "We have at all times met our obligations to the fair licensing of our telecommunications standards patents."

This latest argument comes just weeks after Apple was awarded a landmark victory in US court, with the jury finding that Samsung's smartphone and tablet line infringe a number of Apple's patents. Following the ruling, Apple has announced plans to try to get at least eight Samsung smartphones banned in the US, while Samsung has said it will appeal the ruling.

Apple was unavailable for comment at the time of publication. µ