An LG Electronics executive is in hot water after being indicted by prosecutors in South Korea on charges of purposefully vandalising Samsung washing machines.
Reuters reports that appliance chief Jo Seong-jin and two other LG Electronics employees have been indicted by prosecutors following the September incident.
The company won’t be hanging its employees out to dry, however, claiming Jo was simply testing the washing machines in plain view at a store in Berlin, Germany.
LG has released security camera footage via YouTube that shows the trio touring the Samsung exhibit. Jo is seen opening and closing the doors of the appliances and pushing on a door vertically, all in front of Samsung retail staff. Click below to watch.
“There were many people around besides those I was on this business trip with, and Samsung workers were looking on right next to us,” said Jo in a statement.
“They would not have stood by had I deliberately damaged a washing machine.”
“I apologise from the bottom of my heart once again to have unintentionally caused such trouble at a time of difficult economic conditions.”
According to LG, Jo’s actions were routine tests conducted on home appliance products. The firm had agreed to pay for what it called “accidental damage” to the four machines, but Samsung opted to press on with legal action after LG poured petrol on the feud by telling The Wall Street Journal, “Unlike washing machines from other companies, a certain company’s washing-machine model was particularly weak on the hinges.”
Washing machines image via Shutterstock
