Korean companies rush to register trademarks in Russia

Hyundai Motor’s St. Petersburg plant in Russia. (Hyundai Motor)

Major South Korean companies, including Hyundai Motor Co. and Samsung Electronics Co., are moving swiftly to register trademarks in Russia, as negotiations toward ending the Russia-Ukraine war gain momentum.

Trademark registration is a prerequisite for conducting local business, and the moves are widely seen as companies preparing for a potential reentry into the Russian market after the war.

According to Russia’s Federal Service for Intellectual Property and industry sources on Sunday, Hyundai Motor received approval in December 2025 to register a total of three trademarks in Russia, including Hyundai Matrix and Genesis.

These trademarks were filed in 2024, and the official registration process was recently completed.

Matrix is the model name of a small multipurpose vehicle that Hyundai previously sold in global markets. By registering the trademark, Hyundai has secured the legal right to use the brand name for that vehicle model in Russia.

Genesis has likewise reorganized its trademark portfolio for use across brand operations and marketing activities.

Kia Corp. has also taken steps to manage its rights by securing approval for the Kia trademark.

According to local media, Hyundai registered numerous trademarks, including those for the Genesis brand, vehicles, and parts, during the first half of 2025 and 2024.

In total, Hyundai Motor Group registered as many as 36 trademarks in Russia over roughly one year, from November 2024 through December last year.

Given that these include not only finished-vehicle brands but also the names of financial and parts affiliates such as Hyundai Transys Inc., the conglomerate is likely considering an expansion of its local business scope in the postwar period, sources said.

Samsung Electronics has also continued to register and file trademarks in Russia.

In December 2025, Samsung registered two trademarks – Neo QLED and The Movingstyle. It also filed trademark applications for Samsung Spatial Signage and Samsung ENSS.

Industry observers noted that these trademark registrations by Korean companies are less a signal of an immediate return to the Russian market than a defensive measure to protect trademark rights.

Under Russian law, trademark rights can be revoked if the mark is not used within three years of registration.

Samsung Electronics and Hyundai Motor established local plants in Russia in 2008 and 2010, respectively, and operated businesses there.

However, after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 triggered Western sanctions, supply chains were disrupted, and both companies suspended operations at their plants.