The Republic of Korea ranked fifth in the 2021 Global Innovation Index, up five spots from the previous year. Despite the ongoing pandemic, the Korean Intellectual Property Office indicated that patent filings are on the increase, especially among SMEs. Established players have also noted an uptick in patent litigations. For...

Read more

The Republic of Korea ranked fifth in the 2021 Global Innovation Index, up five spots from the previous year. Despite the ongoing pandemic, the Korean Intellectual Property Office indicated that patent filings are on the increase, especially among SMEs. Established players have also noted an uptick in patent litigations. For the second year in a row the country ranked fourth in the world in regard to the number of Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) applications. Significant revisions to the Korean Patent Act will come into effect from April 2022. Among the most notable changes is the introduction of a ‘separate application’ system. If the applicant’s appeal of a final rejection is unsuccessful, the person can file a separate application for the claims that were not rejected, within one month. The timeframe to appeal a final rejection has also been extended – from 30 days to three months.

Show less