Apple seeks records from Samsung in South Korea in antitrust case

Key Points:

• Apple has filed a request with the U.S. court to obtain internal business documents from Samsung Electronics in South Korea as part of its antitrust litigation with the U.S. Department of Justice and several states accusing Apple of monopolistic practices.
• The documents sought include market analyses and data related to Samsung’s smartphone, smartwatch, and app store businesses, which Apple argues are critical to assessing competition and user behavior in these markets.
• Apple has invoked the Hague Evidence Convention to facilitate the cross-border evidence gathering after Samsung's U.S. subsidiary refused to produce records held only by the Korean parent company.
• The request emphasizes that the evidence sought is narrowly tailored, important to the case, and that no alternative means exist to obtain it, while also arguing that fulfilling the request aligns with U.S. interests without harming South Korea’s interests.
• The outcome depends on approval from both the U.S. court and South Korean authorities, with potential legal challenges from Samsung under Korean law still possible.