Prosecutors summoned the head of LG Electronics Inc.'s home appliances division Tuesday for questioning over allegations that he and other executives vandalized washing machines of rival Samsung Electronics Co. at German shops earlier this year.
   
In mid-September, Samsung Electronics filed a complaint with the prosecution, alleging that Cho Sung-jin and his associates damaged the doors of Samsung's Crystal Blue Washing Machine displayed at several German shops ahead of a global electronics fair in Berlin.
   
Cho appeared before Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office to face questioning over suspicions that he purposely damaged Samsung Electronics washing machines at German retail shops in September.
  
Prosecutors said the probe is focusing on whether Cho and his affiliates had purposely damaged the machines.
   
On Friday, prosecutors raided the headquarters of LG Electronics Inc. in a widening probe. They said they have also finished analyzing the video footage in which Cho and others are seen damaging the machines under the guise of testing the products.
   
LG Electronics claims the tests were legitimate and has sued Samsung Electronics for libel.
   
Cho, who is banned from leaving the country, had previously refused to face questioning until after the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January. Friday's raid, however, seems to have changed his decision, prosecution sources said. (Yonhap)