What is the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO)? Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) Review

The Korean Intellectual Property Office is the development partner of the World Intellectual Property Organization in popularizing the online international patent electronic application system worldwide and the organization for patent information operation and service in Asia. On March 15, 2006, the International Intellectual Property Training Institute of the Korean Intellectual Property Office was designated as the first formal training institution by the World Intellectual Property Organization. In 2014, the Korean Intellectual Property Office received a total of 434,000 industrial property applications, of which the number of patent applications exceeded 210,000, ranking fourth in the world, with an average application period of 11 months; the number of trademark and design applications was 150,000 and 65,000 respectively, ranking seventh and third in the world respectively, with an average examination period of 7.9 months.

history

May 23, 1949: Patent Office established (Ministry of Foreign Commerce and Industry)

1967, joined the World Intellectual Property Organization Convention

In 1977, the Korea Industrial Property Office (KIPO) was established as an external administrative agency of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.

In 1979, it joined the World Intellectual Property Organization.

1980: Joined the Paris Convention

1984: Joined the Patent Cooperation Treaty

1987 Opened International Patent Training Center in Seoul

1991, moved the International Patent Training Center from Seoul to Daejeon

In 1988, the headquarters was moved from Seoul to Daejeon, and the Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Committee was established; in the same year, a branch office was also established in Seoul.

In 1999, the world's first specialized network for intellectual property management, KIPOnet, was established

In 2000, the Korean Industrial Property Office was renamed the Korean Intellectual Property Office

In 2003, South Korea joined the Madrid Protocol; in the same year, South Korea's online patent application rate reached 94.7%, the world's highest level, saving South Korea 440 billion won in administrative processing costs.

In 2005, South Korea invested 22 billion won to build the second-generation KIPOnet system, which provides 24-hour services for handling related intellectual property matters. The entire application process, review, approval and objection of patents and trademarks can be completed online, making South Korea a world leader in the electronic application and processing of patents.

In 2006, the legal status of KIPO was changed to a central executive agency in accordance with the Law on the Establishment and Operation of Executive Agencies.

On July 1, 2007, South Korea further improved its online patent application system, allowing individual inventors to submit electronic applications without relying on patent agents, and added an electronic payment function.

In 2011, the PCT International Search and Preliminary Examination Department was established; in the same year, the number of registered patents exceeded 1 million.

In 2012, KIPOnet3 system was launched

In 2013, the Intellectual Property Protection and International Cooperation Bureau was established.

In 2014, the application was submitted to join the Geneva Convention on the Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs; in the same year, the remote video hearing system was launched to facilitate users in remote areas.