Kumho Petrochemical wins lawsuit against Flexsys

By Nam Kwang-sik
SEOUL, Dec. 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korean chemicals producer Korea Kumho
Petrochemical Co., said Tuesday that it has won a patent infringement lawsuit
lodged by U.S. chemicals maker Flexsys America L.P.

The U.S. company dropped its appeal to the Supreme Court of South Korea on
Thursday, ending the five-year-long dispute, Korea Kumho Petrochemical said in a
statement.
In April 2004, Flexsys filed a patent infringement suit with a Seoul court,
accusing the Korean company's process of producing a rubber antioxidant of
violating its patent.
A rubber antioxidant, known as 6-PPD, is used to prevent autoxidation of all tire
rubber. Without antioxidants, a tire would harden, drastically shortening its
operational life and reducing its elasticity.
Flexsys lost its first and second trials in 2004 and 2005, respectively. The U.S.
company appealed to the Supreme Court, shortly after it lost the second trial.
ksnam@yna.co.kr
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