South Korean media has reacted badly after US President Barack Obama overturned a decision by the ITC to ban US shipments of the iPhone 4, iPhone 3GS, iPad 3G and iPad 3G.
The decision was made back in June, but Apple appealed leading to the Obama administration to get involved and overturn the ban.
Speaking to Reuters a spokesperson for the South Korea’s Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy said: “We express concerns about the negative impact that such a decision would have on the protection of patent rights.”
It was widely expected that Obama would overturn the ban, after he waged war on the “patent trolls,” but the South Korean media has criticised the president of blatant “protectionism.”
Samsung itself faces an ITC verdict on Friday as to whether some of its devices infringed on Apple’s patents and should also have a ban placed on its imports into the US.
Do you think it was fair for Obama to overturn the verdict? Let us know in the comments below.
