South Korean official Lee Hee-Beom sends warning in Matsushita/LG dispute

from the China Post:

South Korean Commerce, Industry and Energy Minister Lee Hee-Beom said a message has been sent to Tokyo calling for its "fair and prudent" handling of Matsushita's request to ban imports of LG-produced plasma display panels (PDPs). Lee told reporters: "The [South Korean] government is deeply concerned. The Japanese government should make a fair and prudent ruling."

UPDATE. The warning of Mr. Hee-Beom was not heeded.
From Forbes/Kyodo on Nov. 11:

OSAKA, Nov 11, 2004 (Kyodo via COMTEX) -- The Tokyo Customs office on Thursday accepted a demand by Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. that imports of plasma display panels produced by LG Electronics Inc. of South Korea be suspended due to its alleged patent infringement, Matsushita officials said.

The step will enable customs houses across Japan to bar LG Electronics-made PDPs from entering the Japanese market for two years, the officials said.

Earlier this month, Matsushita filed for a court injunction to halt sales in Japan of the South Korean firm's plasma displays, claiming the maker infringed its patents.

UPDATE (Nov. 22)

Laying down the gauntlet to its rival, LG launched the world's largest plasma TV on Monday, Nov. 22, 2004, with a screen measuring 71 inches (180 cm) diagonally. That came just months after Matsushita, which makes Panasonic products, released a 65-inch set. The two are in a legal dispute over alleged plasma patent infringements.