South Korea's Samsung has hit back at rival LG in a patents row over next-generation display panels, with both firms accusing the other of stealing technology and senior staff to grab a lead in the market.

Samsung Display, an affiliate of Samsung Electronics, asked a Seoul patents court last week to annul seven patents related to organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel technologies held by LG, a company spokesman said Monday.

Samsung argued that the technologies lacked the originality and innovation to warrant a patent.

"These are typical legal steps to defend a company's stance in a patent infringement suit," the Samsung spokesman told AFP.

The move came after LG Display -- one of the world's top flat-screen TV makers -- filed a patents suit in September against the two Samsung units for allegedly infringing seven of its OLED-related technologies.

LG said that five of Samsung's products, including its global hit Galaxy S-series smartphones and tablet computer Galaxy Tab, infringed its patents.

Later in the same month, Samsung filed a court complaint accusing LG of luring away senior Samsung OLED researchers even though they had signed contracts preventing them working for a rival.