Please provide links to your website where the requested information can be found in English, French, or Spanish. Alternately, you may provide text responses instead of URLs if desired. If the information is not available on your website in an ATR language, then please provide text.
URLs in responses should meet the following requirements:
Information on the following topics is desired:
The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) has articulated its vision of “Advancing to a Global Leading Nation through Intellectual Property” and formulated five strategic initiatives spanning three core domains — “Examination and Trial,” “Domestic Intellectual Property Ecosystem,” and “Global Environment” — as part of its policy direction for 2024.
The five priority initiatives are:
Providing high-quality examination and trial services to support technological innovation;
Strengthening technological competitiveness through the utilization of intellectual property;
Establishing a fair order for the protection of intellectual property;
Advancing the business growth ecosystem based on intellectual property; and
Expanding the innovation infrastructure for intellectual property
Recently, in August 2024, the Act on the Management and Promotion of Utilization of Industrial Property Information was newly enacted and came into full effect. The main provisions of the Act are as follows: First, to enhance R&D efficiency and support industrial technology strategies, it allows for the collection, processing, and provision of disclosed industrial property information. Second, to prevent the leakage and ensure the protection of technologies related to national security, it permits the use of industrial property information under application and its sharing with relevant government agencies. In addition, it establishes the institutional foundation for building databases and systems, fostering professional personnel, and supporting the development of information services to meet data demands from the private sector.
Information on the following topics is desired:
○ Operation of KIPRIS
Since 2000, the Korea Intellectual Property Rights Information Service (KIPRIS) has provided the general public with free access to domestic and international intellectual property information.
In 2024, the KIPRIS website’s interface and functions were completely overhauled for the first time in 12 years. As of 2024, KIPRIS offers industrial property rights information from 29 countries, as well as non-patent literature.
Through various communication channels, such as user forums and supporter programs, KIPRIS collects feedback for service improvement. In 2024, the user satisfaction score for KIPRIS reached 89 points, an increase of 2.15 points compared to the previous year.
○ Expansion of Public Data Access
Through KIPRIS Plus, KIPO provides patent information to the private sector via Open APIs, bulk data downloads, and online download services.
The range of IP data made available includes patents, utility models, trademarks, designs, intermediate file packages, trial information, and foreign patents — totaling approximately 126 types of open data products. As of now, these IP data products are utilized in about 5,072 cases.
○ Expansion of Patent Document Machine Translation Services
To enhance examination quality, shorten examination periods, and improve work efficiency, KIPO is promoting the advancement of translation services for foreign patent documents. KIPRIS’s public translation service for foreign literature now provides translations of the same quality as those used by examiners.
Information on the following topics is desired:
○ Development of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Databases
Since 1999, KIPO has been building search databases for domestic and overseas intellectual property rights. Currently, it acquires IPR data from 56 foreign countries, including the IP5 offices such as the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
In 2008, Korean patent literature was included in the PCT minimum documentation, which must be mandatorily consulted by patent offices worldwide during international patent examinations. This inclusion highlighted the importance of maintaining the quality of KIPO’s search databases. To this end, KIPO has established systems to systematically refine and process acquired domestic and foreign data for errors before incorporating them into the search databases.
○ Publication of Intellectual Property Gazettes
Since 1948, KIPO has published industrial property gazettes. In May 1998, the format was changed to CD-ROM, and since July 2001, gazettes have also been available through an online service.
On a monthly basis, gazettes are distributed via DVD and FTP to 17 countries and organizations.
In 2023, approximately 775,000 gazettes were published, contributing to the protection of applicants’ rights and safeguarding Korea’s intellectual property rights abroad.
○ Korean Patent Abstracts (KPA)
The KPA is an English-language abstract of the main contents of inventions published in the Korean Patent Gazette, designed to enable foreign examiners and users to understand them quickly and accurately. Each abstract consists of bibliographic data, a summary, and a representative drawing.
Including the 149,345 abstracts published in 2024, a total of 3,511,994 English abstracts have been issued to date.
Information on the following topics is desired:
○ Operation of the PatentNet System
Since 1999, KIPO has been operating the PatentNet system. The application system segment comprises 35 patent administration systems covering filing, registration, examination, and trial processes, while the general administrative segment consists of 10 systems, including knowledge management, performance management, and the official website.
○ Application of AI Technology in Examination and Trial Support
In response to recent advances in AI technology, KIPO has been integrating AI into its patent administration systems to support examination and trial operations. In 2022, KIPO developed an AI-based similar patent search system, which is currently used in examination processes. From 2023 to 2024, KIPO has implemented AI-based optical character recognition (OCR) technology to automatically classify submitted documents necessary for trial proceedings, thereby enhancing patent administration efficiency.
Information on the following topics is desired:
○ Establishment of a Customer-Centered Civil Service System
Every year, KIPO formulates and implements plans to improve civil administration and related systems, systematically addressing and rectifying customer dissatisfaction.
To enhance the quality of civil administrative services, an annual intellectual property customer satisfaction survey is conducted.
KIPO operates a public idea contest on intellectual property information policy to gather citizens’ suggestions for improving patent administration systems and services, which are then utilized in policy formulation.
Information on the following topics is desired:
○ IP5 Cooperation Framework
In October 2008, substantive discussions on IP5 cooperation began at the meeting of heads of the five major patent offices (IP5).
Currently, in addition to the various cooperative projects underway within each working group (WG), KIPO plans to undertake various initiatives aimed at implementing the ‘Advanced Technology/Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Roadmap’ as well as new cooperative projects supporting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
○ Strengthening Bilateral Cooperation
In 2024, KIPO plans to hold director-level meetings with patent offices from countries including the United States, China, Japan, and Europe to discuss cooperation in intellectual property fields addressing global issues such as new technologies including AI inventions.
○ Region-Specific Tailored Cooperation
KIPO is expanding cooperation with regions such as ASEAN, the Middle East (including the UAE and Saudi Arabia), and Latin America.
○ Hosting the Patent Information Expo
KIPO holds the annual PATINEX (PATent INformation EXpo), featuring keynote speeches and lectures by renowned domestic and international experts on major issues in patent information, presentations on patent information dissemination policies and utilization by patent offices and companies, exhibitions of services by patent information providers, and business meetings between enterprises and institutions.
In 2024, under the theme “Intellectual Property Information: A New Wave Toward a Better Future,” the expo attracted 592 participants and 19 companies and organizations.
Note: For each Standard listed below, please enter one of the following values:
WIPO Standard ST.3: Two-letter codes for the representation of states, other entities and organizations
Implemented
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WIPO Standard ST.6: Numbering of published patent documents
Implemented
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WIPO Standard ST.9: Bibliographic data on and relating to patents and SPCs
Implemented
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WIPO Standard ST.10/C: Presentation of bibliographic data components
Implemented
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WIPO Standard ST.13: Numbering of applications for IPRs
No plan to implement
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WIPO Standard ST.14: References cited in patent documents
Partially Implemented
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WIPO Standard ST.16: Identification of different kinds of patent documents
Implemented
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WIPO Standard ST.18: Patent gazettes and other patent announcement journals
No plan to implement
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WIPO Standard ST.26: Presentation of nucleotide and amino acid sequence listings using XML
Implemented
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WIPO Standard ST.27: Recommendation for the Exchange of Patent Legal Status Data
Implemented
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WIPO Standard ST.36: Processing of patent information using XML
Partially Implemented
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WIPO Standard ST.37: Recommendation for an Authority File of Published Patent Documents
Implemented
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WIPO Standard ST.50: Corrections, alterations and supplements relating to patent information
Implemented
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WIPO Standard ST.90: Recommendation for processing and communicating Intellectual Property data using Web APIs (Application Programming Interfaces)
Partially Implemented
API service on KIPRISplus
WIPO Standard ST.91: Recommendations on digital three-dimensional (3D) models and 3D images
Partially Implemented
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WIPO Standard ST.92: Recommendations on the Data Package Format for the Electronic Exchange of Priority Documents
Planning to implement
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WIPO Standard ST.96: Processing of Industrial Property information using XML
Implemented
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Note: Please list any other WIPO Standards related to patents (not mentioned above) that your Office or Organization has implemented, is currently in the process of implementing, or plans to implement in the future. For each Standard, please indicate the implementation status with an option: Implemented, On implementation Phase or Planning to Implement.
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Please insert links to specific pages on your website where the above information is available in English, French, or Spanish. See other requirements above. You may also provide text instead of links.
1.Classification is allotting one or more classification symbols (e.g., IPC symbols) to a patent application, either before or during search and examination, which symbols are then published with the patent application.
2. Preclassification is allotting an initial broad classification symbol (e.g., IPC class or subclass, or administrative unit) to a patent application, using human or automated means for internal administrative purposes (e.g., routing an application to the appropriate examiner). Usually preclassification is applied by the administration of an office.
3. Reclassification is the reconsideration and usually the replacement of one or more previously allotted classification symbols to a patent document, following a revision and the entry into force of a new version of the Classification system (e.g., the IPC). The new symbols are available on patent databases.
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