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LG Exec Indicted Over Broken Samsung Washing Machine
itwbennett writes Jo Seong-jin, the head of LG's home appliance division, was indicted Sunday by prosecutors in Seoul for allegedly damaging Samsung Electronics' washing machines before the IFA electronics show in Berlin last September. The company says it was his regular practice to test the rival company's machines, something he has done while working for LG for the past 38 years, and has released closed-circuit television footage in his defense showing him testing Samsung products including washing machines, dish washers and refrigerators. Jo and two other employees are charged with vandalism, defamation and obstruction of business.
Damn - there's a few corps I know of here in the US that would love to get that kind of law on the books...
Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
Agreed. Touching a competitor's setup at a trade fair is bush league.
I don't buy that "testing" defense for a second. If you're a company that large you test by buying a machine anonymously at retail, take it to your labs, complete a test plan, then take it apart the see the build and components. Just randomly poking at stuff before a trade show isn't even going to give you much data.
Agreed. Touching a competitor's setup at a trade fair is bush league.
I don't buy that "testing" defense for a second. If you're a company that large you test by buying a machine anonymously at retail, take it to your labs, complete a test plan, then take it apart the see the build and components. Just randomly poking at stuff before a trade show isn't even going to give you much data.
While I wouldn't be surprised if he broke the machines on purpose, I'm assuming these weren't available for purchase yet. That seems to be how companies work (including Samsung and LG) in other spaces such as televisions. In fact, many of those other products that they bring to shows are just concept devices that never make it to market without significant changes.
While there probably is detailed testing like you describe going on, I think it's reasonable for an exec to check out the competition at a show.
While there probably is detailed testing like you describe going on, I think it's reasonable for an exec to check out the competition at a show.
However, if the show has not yet started, then probably nothing gives the competitor the right to do so.
Frankly, I think the show venue should not allow such testing of machines that are being setup on display, without permission.
No entering another vendor's booth without their permission and supervision.
So the charge should be trespassing.
There's nothing that says the products on display necessarily have to be done yet and 'fit' for normal use. The competitor has no permission to 'operate' the equipment, no manuals, etc, so touching it at all could be deemed as potential abuse.
Being curious and testing shouldn't be considered as malicious vandalism, as long as its supervised and being tested only to the extent intended by the vendor.
It should not be that easy to destroy a washer... even a prototype.
Subjecting an unfinished product to abuses not intended to be done during the show can expose design defects, but that can be deemed as vandalism.
The vandalism could be as simple as a scratch on the finish, making the model less attractive, even if still functional
Did you watch the video?
He opened the door, and applied his weight to it. Apparently this damaged the hinges.
I couldn't tell whether he put a reasonable or unreasonable stress on it. A reasonable amount of test would be completely acceptable; and a perfectly valid 'test'. When I shop for cars, its something I look at ... how solid the doors are, do they have any play in them, etc.
Further the video follows the CCTV footage with commercials demonstrating the door, ... " Look how solid it is!" while they push down on it; showing a child sitting on it... etc. Its a selling point that the door isn't flimsy.
So... was the guy attempting to damage it? Or was he just curious how solid it was? Did he push harder than reasonable?
I don't think its cut and dry either way. Let the courts decide.
The claim is done in the context that the show hadn't started yet. Just like how a random member of the public wouldn't be expected to be allowed in, I don't think it's spurious to claim that a competitor also has no reason to be able to come over to your booth and start messing with your stuff. Once the show's started, all of that changes, of course.