Google legal executive meets Samsung CEOs

By Kim Yoo-chul

Google’s chief legal officer David Drummond has met with top executives of Samsung to discuss the Samsung-Apple litigation saga, according to Samsung officials.

``Drummond visited Samsung’s main office in Seoul on Wednesday for a strategic meeting with Samsung Strategy Office Head Choi Gee-sung and Samsung’s mobile chief Shin Jong-kyun. The two companies discussed Apple’s contention,’’ said a Samsung official, asking not to be named

Drummond visited Seoul Tuesday to participate in the Korean firm’s series of international conferences dubbed “Big Tent.”

The official said the one-hour meeting took place behind closed doors. But officials say it’s very rare for a top Google legal officer to hold a ``working-level’’ discussion with a partner firm over sensitive issues.

``As far as I know, the two companies specifically talked about Apple as the meeting was practical not symbolic,’’ said the official.

Lois Kim, head of communications for Google Korea, declined to confirm this.

The high-profile meeting was the second in a month after Google Executive Chairman Eric Schimdt met Choi and Shin during a recent visit to Korea.

Google has been involved in numerous lawsuits over its Android software, used for smartphones and tablet computers. And several top manufacturers of Android-based products, including Samsung, and Taiwan’s HTC have been involved in litigation as proxies for Google by Apple.

During the Tuesday conference, Drummond, said that Google would continue to defend the Android ecosystem amid global patent disputes.

“Android has been about openness, more manufacturers, more carriers and everyone getting into the game. We felt that there were incumbencies that other competitors were using to stop that,” he said.