REFILE-UPDATE 1-Samsung asks US to ban Kodak camera imports

(Refiles to add LOS ANGELES dateline, additional reporting credit) (Adds Kodak's response)

LOS ANGELES/SEOUL Feb 18 (Reuters) - South Korean electronics giant Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (005930.KS: Cotización) said on Wednesday it had asked a U.S. trade panel to block imports of Eastman Kodak Co's EK.N digital cameras in an ongoing patent dispute.

Kodak in November filed a complaint to the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC), alleging mobile phones and other wireless devices by Samsung and home rival LG Electronics Inc (066570.KS: Cotización) infringed on patented Kodak technology.

The ITC voted in December to investigate the case.

Samsung this week filed its own complaint with the ITC, saying some Kodak cameras infringed on Samsung technology.

"Samsung Electronics plans to respond actively to this litigation (by Kodak)," said Lee Eun-hee, a company spokeswoman.

But Kodak brushed those claims aside.

"We believe that Samsung's latest filing is a retaliatory tactic and we intend to vigorously contest Samsung's claims," Kodak said in an emailed statement on Wednesday.

Details on the Samsung patents or Kodak products mentioned in the complaint were not available.

The ITC is a popular venue for patent infringement cases since it can stop imports of items made with infringing technology. (Reporting by Rhee So-eui; Additional reporting by Edwin Chan;edited by Marie-France Han and Jacqueline Wong; Editing by Gary Hill)