ⓒYONHAP News

The U.S. International Trade Commission(ITC) ruled in favor of LG Energy Solution against SK Innovation in a battery trade secret dispute on Wednesday.

The ITC banned SK from importing some lithium-ion batteries into the U.S. for ten years.

The commission, however, allowed SK to import batteries and components for U.S. production of Ford and Volkswagen electric vehicles for a limited time. The grace period is four years for Ford and two years for Volkswagen.

The decision comes almost two years after LG Chem filed two trade complaints against SK Innovation in the U.S. LG Chem, LG Energy Solution's parent company, claimed that SK misappropriated and used its EV battery trade secrets by hiring its former employees.