Samsung plans to seek a ban on sales of the iPhone 5 in its home country of South Korea as soon as the device launches in the country, according to a new report. Citing various sources closely involved in the matter, the Korea Times reports that the move will be in retaliation to Apple’s ongoing suits against Samsung in a number of global markets. “Just after the arrival of the iPhone 5 here, Samsung plans to take Apple to court here for its violation of Samsung’s wireless technology related patents,” said a senior executive from Samsung Electronics. “For as long as Apple does not drop mobile telecommunications functions, it would be impossible for it to sell its i-branded products without using our patents. We will stick to a strong stance against Apple during the lingering legal fights.” As noted in the report, there are at least 23 lawsuits pending between the two companies worldwide, even as they retain a business relationship covering the sale and delivery of flash memory and microprocessors.

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Charles Starrett

Charles Starrett was a senior editor at iLounge. He's been covering the iPod, iPhone, and iPad since their inception. He has written numerous articles and reviews, and his work has been featured in multiple publications.