SEOUL: South Korea’s two leading battery makers – LG Energy Solution and Samsung SDI – highlighted their patent strength at InterBattery 2026, signalling an intensifying race to secure next-generation battery technologies for emerging sectors such as energy storage systems and robotics.
Speaking at The Battery Conference, a side event of the industry exhibition held at Coex in Seoul on Wednesday, Joo Yong-lak, head of Samsung SDI’s research and development centre, warned that the company would take action against patent infringement or technology theft involving its prismatic battery cells – a message widely interpreted as directed at competitors.
Joo said prismatic cell technology has high entry barriers, requiring extensive expertise across materials, components, design, manufacturing and production processes, making it difficult for latecomers to replicate quickly.
Citing US patent data, he said Samsung SDI holds about 1,200 registered patents related to prismatic batteries, far ahead of Chinese and Japanese rivals with roughly 600 each. Domestic competitors such as LG Energy Solution and SK On hold around 30 to 40 patents in the category.
Joo said Samsung SDI holds around 1,100 patents related to all-solid-state battery technology, giving it a significant advantage over rivals.
LG Energy Solution also stressed the importance of intellectual property protection. Kim Je-young, chief technology officer at LG Energy Solution, said some companies spend decades developing technologies. Others attempt to replicate them within a few years by copying designs or recruiting talent.
“Latecomers should pay their dues and use technology legitimately,” Kim said.
He added that LG Energy Solution maintains strong patent leadership across the entire battery value chain, including materials, cells, battery packs and battery management systems.
The firm holds three times as many patents as competitors in 46-series cylindrical batteries. — The Korea Herald/ANN
