A German court had ruled that South Korea based Hyundai and other companies (East Asian and European) and presented and marketed unlicensed patented technology at IFA. It then authorised 69 raids, reports Reuters.

"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," spokesman Norbert Scheidhauer is cited in the report as saying. Mr Scheidhauer said he was not permitted to name other firms affected, but stated that several TV-sets, MP3 players, mobile phones and DVD recorders were sized so far.

Theft of trade secrets by foreign companies is a sensitive issue in Germany and raids have been carried out at this year’s Ce-Bit in Hanover too (evertiq reported). Hyundai is able to challenge and contradict the raid and seizure in a German court, but the company was not available for comment.

Image Source: IFA [l.t.r.: Dr. Jongwoo Park (Samsung Electronics), Angela Merkel (Federal Chancellor), Raimund Hosch (CEO Messe Berlin)]