Apple demanding info from Samsung's South Korea HQ for DOJ antitrust trial

Samsung America has refused to submit evidence owned by its South Korean parent company, so Apple has turned to the Hague Conventions to force the matter.

In March 2024, Apple was sued by the United States Department of Justice for allegedly stifling competition through proprietary hardware and software. After months of appeals and requests for dismissal, the case finally moved forward.

The discovery process hasn't been an easy one, with both Apple and Samsung fighting lawyers every step of the way. The latest filing from Apple, shared by 9to5Mac, shows Apple is having to take legal measures to force evidence from Samsung.

The problem is that Samsung is one of the main alleged victims of Apple's antitrust actions, so it is crucial in the case. However, Samsung America has basically denied the ability to provide any documents requested by Apple so far.

It has done so on the grounds that all of the requested information is owned by the parent company headquartered in South Korea. So, Apple has turned to something called the Hague Convention to attempt to force their hand.

The Hague Convention allows civil cases to seek relevant documents and information from foreign entities. Other tech cases have attempted this, but their requests were too vague and were denied.

Apple's filing paints its request as highly specific and necessary to argue its case. It also argues that there is no other way to gain access to the requested information.

If approved, the lawyers will draft a letter requesting the documents per the Hague Convention and send it to Samsung Electronics in South Korea. The company could attempt to fight the request, but that'll be another matter for the South Korean government to handle.

While evidence gathering and other litigation likely took place since October 2025, this is the first we've heard of the DOJ case since. It is going to be a long and drawn-out case.

The DOJ lawsuit was filed in March 2024, and it has barely breached the evidence gathering stage. There's a chance we'll be discussing this case for the better part of the decade.