Hyundai IT booth raided at IFA event

Hyundai IT booth raided at IFA event
An extraordinary event occurred today at the IFA event in Berlin when German customs police raided and seized flat-screen televisions from the booth of Hyundai IT Corp.

On Thursday a German court ruled that Hyundai and other Asia-based companies were using and marketing unlicensed patented technology at the annual event. The court then authorized 69 raids.



"Hyundai had the chance today to show us that it had paid for the licenses -- then we would have gone. But that was not the case. They could not prove they had paid so we took the devices away," said spokesman Norbert Scheidhauer of Berlin's customs investigation office.

The raid occurred during the event in front of visitors and the booth was left with nothing but wires and cables hanging.

Scheidhauer would not name the other companies that are to be raided but did say that 170 televisions, 140 MP3 music players, 21 mobile phones and 57 DVD recorders had already been seized since the IFA event began on August 29th.

"This year is the biggest operation that customs investigators have had to carry out," he added.

Hyundai has not commented on the raid yet but Scheidhauer added that they could challenge the seizures in a German court.

Written by: Andre Yoskowitz @ 1 Sep 2008 18:23
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  • 11 comments
  • rlessmue

    Quote:Hyundai and other Asia-based companies...So, it looks like Sony, and others might be next?!!!

    Maybe someone can post a list of with "companies" or "brand-names"
    are on the "raid" list.

    Cheers!

    1.9.2008 20:25 #1

  • banshee07

    Quote:Quote:Hyundai and other Asia-based companies...So, it looks like Sony, and others might be next?!!!

    Maybe someone can post a list of with "companies" or "brand-names"
    are on the "raid" list.

    Cheers!
    why is Sony the first thing out of peoples mouths? Sony wasnt even mentioned here.

    1.9.2008 20:42 #2

  • varnull

    Quote:Quote:Quote:Hyundai and other Asia-based companies...So, it looks like Sony, and others might be next?!!!

    Maybe someone can post a list of with "companies" or "brand-names"
    are on the "raid" list.

    Cheers!
    why is Sony the first thing out of peoples mouths? Sony wasnt even mentioned here.
    What is that do do with anything? Sony are pretty universally hated, and probably behind this in one way or another.

    Another shining example of how the current patent laws are stifling innovation and progress. I want to know more, especially who is complaining about such things as TV's and MP3 players.

    I'm going to patent the method of using a biological optical sensing device to look at stuff.. get ready to pay me if you want to use your eyes!

    We REALLY need reform of the patent system as soon as possible.

    1.9.2008 21:01 #3

  • mspurloc

    Hyundai needs to learn that in a leftist country, you've got to bribe the right people.

    2.9.2008 02:03 #4

  • windsong

    Originally posted by mspurloc: Hyundai needs to learn that in a leftist country, you've got to bribe the right people.Agreed.

    2.9.2008 02:50 #5

  • matt87622

    Hyundai has always been a joke, Now they are not even paying licensing fees. Another reason to avoid there cars.

    2.9.2008 11:15 #6

  • emugamer

    Originally posted by mspurloc: Hyundai needs to learn that in a leftist country, you've got to bribe the right people.In a leftist country, you have to bribe the left people :P

    2.9.2008 11:40 #7

  • rlessmue

    Hyundai is a South Korean company.
    When I was working in South Korea the other year,
    and saw a lot of "knock-offs" of clothing, electronics
    and other items.

    Basicly this doesn't surprise me,
    or with the other Asian countries I have been to.

    I've seen it in Korea, Tawian, Japan, China just to name a few.

    Don't get me wrong...some of the products that come out of these
    countries are good and are "clean" (paid for licenses).

    I don't agree with "everyone is guilty until proven innocent" method
    of law.

    Cheers!

    2.9.2008 12:57 #8

  • beanos66

    well... that's the customs officers christmas presents sorted for this year

    2.9.2008 18:16 #9

  • grkblood

    you know you dont have crap going on when this is at the top of your priority list. good to see those tax dollars are being spent well...seriously, they could be doing things that are way more important than this. I would rather them reinvestigate roy jones silver medal than this. Atleast I could see the point in that.

    3.9.2008 09:07 #10

  • Mez

    I am with varnull at least on the Sony issue. I bet Sony was behind this it is the way they do busibness. They were cheaper competition. The patent laws may be OK it is what the lawyers do with the law that is the problem. Companies do exactly what varnull was complaining about. If you have enough money you can beat them in court claiming the patent was not 'real'. Patents have to be a real invention in the USA. That protection is in the patent laws just like fair use is in the copyright laws. The weakness is you need money to fight a suit even if you are in the right.

    I am sure donations were involved. I really don't know a country where bribes don't work. I am sure the TV companies were just doing business as usual. They got into the market cheaper than if they leased all those licenses before they started. A few years into the project they can either start paying for the licenses or use different technology.

    8.9.2008 08:38 #11

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