Global IP alliances propel Korea’s patent office to new heights

Korea's key achievements made in bilateral meetings during the 65th World Intellectual Property Organization General Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, July 9-11. (Korean Intellectual Property Office)

The Korean Intellectual Property Office is stepping up its international efforts to protect intellectual property rights for export enterprises.

From July 9 to 11, KIPO took part in the 65th World Intellectual Property Organization General Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland. There, KIPO held bilateral discussions on the sidelines of the event with ten different intellectual property bodies, including offices from Brazil, Denmark, Germany, India, Australia, the UK, France, Canada, Argentina, and the European Union Intellectual Property Office. These talks resulted in formal agreements and plans for future memorandums of understanding, setting the stage for deeper international IP alliances.

KIPO Commissioner Kim Wan-ki (left) and Julio Cesar Moreira, president of the National Institute of Industrial Property of Brazil, pose for a photo after signing a memorandum on intellectual property cooperation between the two countries in Geneva on July 9. (Korean Intellectual Property Office)

The bilateral meetings commenced on July 8 and concluded on the 10th. During the talks, KIPO notably formalized memorandums with Brazil and Denmark. On July 9, Brazilian and Korean IP Offices agreed on comprehensive IP cooperation, covering commercialization, administrative automation, and data exchange. The following day, Danish and Korean IP Offices signed an agreement to broaden cooperation in emerging fields such as AI, IP systems, examination and protection. Additionally, both offices committed to sharing policies related to carbon-neutral technologies.

India, Germany and Argentina agreed to formalize memorandums in the near future. On July 9, KIPO and the patent office of India, where Korean companies file the most patents after the US, China, the EU and Japan, agreed to sign a memorandum soon. Similar outcomes were sought with Germany and Argentina. The IP body from Germany agreed to cooperate in examining advanced technologies, including automobiles, computer technology and semiconductors. The patent examination request process will be streamlined through examiner exchanges and a collaborative search program when an applicant files a request with two countries. KIPO said that talks with representatives from Argentina led to open-ended discussions, which mainly focused on the IP-related education agenda.

Discussions with other patent offices also yielded significant outcomes. On July 8, KIPO and the EU IP body EUIPO discussed how to implement the EU-ROK IP Action Plan, which focuses on IP law, SME support, valuation and enforcement. Both entities reached an agreement to dispatch Korean IP professional to the EUIPO. Additional talks covered trademarks and designs.

On July 9, KIPO met with representatives from the UK and Australia. Discussions with the UK focused on SME support policies in the IP field, while talks with Australia centered on improving patent examination efficiency using AI. The next day’s bilateral meeting with Canada reached an agreement to cooperate in strengthening AI-related patent applications. The same day’s discussion with France led to tailored policies on SME support, including IP valuation.

Following these bilateral meetings, KIPO Commissioner Kim Wan-ki stated, "Through these bilateral meetings with 10 offices, we have achieved cooperation in responding to the development of new technologies such as AI, creating a favorable business environment for Korean firms, and improving the quality of examination services. As the fourth-largest patent filer in the world, Korea will continue to actively promote international cooperation to support Korean companies expanding overseas."

KIPO Commissioner Kim Wan-ki (center left) and other governmental officials pose for a photo during the opening ceremony of the agency's revamped IP center in Frankfurt, Germany, on July 12. (Korean Intellectual Property Office)

KIPO is also enhancing infrastructure for intellectual property in major cities.

On July 12, it held an opening ceremony for the European IP center in Frankfurt, Germany. This event marked the launch of the revamped regional European IP-Desk, restructured this year to provide faster support to Korean firms in more countries. Each center will expand to a regional support model, staffed with professionals such as lawyers and patent attorneys to enhance on-site support for SMEs.

Currently, there are 10 overseas IP centers in the US, China, Japan, Europe, Vietnam, Thailand, India and Mexico. Through these facilities, Korean firms in 40 countries can receive consistent IP consultations and legal advice through the borderless reach of the entities. The new Frankfurt-based European center will cover neighboring countries, including the UK, France, Spain, Switzerland, Italy and more.

Regarding the opening ceremony, Commissioner Kim remarked, "With the intensification of global protectionism and technological supremacy competition, protecting IP and responding to disputes has become increasingly crucial for Korean companies expanding overseas. We plan to strengthen support in more countries through the reorganized overseas IP centers."

The international application system of intellectual property from South Korea is set to be reworked as well.

On July 8, Commissioner Kim held a bilateral meeting with WIPO Director General Daren Tang at WIPO headquarters, discussing key issues related to intellectual property cooperation. As part of an upcoming personnel exchange program, WIPO staff will be dispatched to Korea in the second half of the year to ensure the smooth operation of the international application system.

During the 65th WIPO General Assembly meeting on July 9, Commissioner Kim delivered a general statement, remarking on achievements in IP administration in response to digital transformation and contributions to the agenda of UN Sustainable Development Goals. Key points included the introduction of AI across all ranges of IP administration and the establishment of a dedicated department for patent examination in the secondary battery sector.

The WIPO Global Awards also took place to commemorate notable IP-related SMEs. Now in its third year, the awards received applications from 667 companies across 107 countries. South Korean startup AETECH, specializing in AI-based waste sorting robots, became the first Korean company to win a major award for innovations in Greentech and the Circular economy. AETECH, one of nine companies to be recognized, had previously received support from KIPO's IP-R&D program in 2021 and 2023 -- which provides IP strategies throughout the entire R&D process, from planning and execution to completion and commercialization. This once again remarks on the efforts made by the nation’s patent office towards firms seeking overseas opportunities with proprietary technology.

By Park Se-ra(serap1005@heraldcorp.com)

Lee Kwon-hyung(kwonhl@heraldcorp.com)