Japanese court rules in favor of S. Korean firm in patent dispute

SEOUL, June 9 (Yonhap) -- A patent court in Japan has ruled in favor of a South
Korean company mired in a patent dispute over a bicycle transmission with Shimano
Inc., company officials said Tuesday.
Shimano, the Japanese maker of bicycling parts, filed the suit with the Japanese
court on April 6 to invalidate a patent related to the bicycle transmission owned
by MBI Co., alleging the South Korean firm infringed its own patent.
The Japanese court recently dismissed the claim by Shimano, ruling that MBI
didn't infringe its patent, said Yoo Hyeok, president of MBI.
Shimano has appealed to a higher court, Yoo said.
"We're pleased the Japanese jury ruled in favor of us although we are a foreign
company," Yoo said.
"As Shimano appealed, we will make full preparations to cope with the next
trial," Yoo said.
If MBI finally wins the suit against Shimano, the South Korean company would get
as much as one trillion won (US$792 million) in compensation and royalty
payments, according to Yoo.
(END)