1. KIPO has improved the trademark examination system for the convenience of an applicant
According to the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), the trademark examination system has been improved increasing the convenience of an applicant, by expanding the range to permit an amendment to designated goods and further extending the time limit for submitting an argument during the trademark examination.
Previously, when designated goods included in the range of goods were added while the general goods names were maintained, the gist of an original trademark application was regarded as being changed and the amendment to add the designated goods was not allowed. However, at present, such an amendment is possible under this trademark examination improvement.
Since designated goods can be added within the scope of goods described in the original application, the troublesome and economic burden to an applicant is lessened. KIPO can also reduce administrative waste which would be caused by not allowing the amendment during the examination process.
Further, the time limit for submitting an argument by an applicant is now further extended. The time to notify whether to use the information submitted by an information provider is also adjusted for the convenience of the public.
2. KIPO supports the advancement of Turkish patent administration
KIPO supports the patent administration advancement of Turkey, based on the precedent experiences in the intellectual property field.
Mr. Donggyou CHOI, the Commissioner of KIPO, and Mr. Habip ASAN, the President of the Turkish Patent Institute (TPI), signed the memorandum of understanding to support the 'approval of the international searching authority?' of TPI in the KIPO-TPI Commissioners?meeting held in InterContinental Seoul COEX on February 29, 2016.
KIPO has been recognized in excellent examination quality and has performed international searches being third in the number of international search cases, following Europe and Japan. KIPO performed about 28,000 international searches during the last year alone, obtaining foreign money of US$ 18,150,000.
These international search cases include about 15,000 cases requested by 14 countries (including the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia, Mongolia, Singapore, New Zealand, USA, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Australia, Thailand, Chile, Peru and Saudi Arabia).
On November 2015, Turkey asked KIPO to pass on international search know-how and to consult about the construction of infrastructure needed, to be an international search authority. This is interpreted as a result that Korean patent examination capability has been internationally approved.
3. KIPO makes global hit products armed with foreign IP
KIPO and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced to carry forward a 'global hit 365 project' which supports focuses on hit products of small and medium companies.
The 'global hit 365 project?is to support overall IP strategies by combining brand, design and patent, from the step of developing products, so that the products of small and medium companies can lead the global markets for 365 days, without worrying about IP disputes. For this project, 25 billion Korea Won is input for 3 years and about 300 products will be a support target.
After the IP strategies are supported overall by building the support system focused on the global hit products, this project is connected with the follow-up, such as global marketing of the Ministry of Industry (Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency: KOTRA) and the dispute-related consulting of KIPO. That is, this project will support the global hit products by one stop, from the step of development of products to overseas expansion.
The overall support of IP strategies includes the major contents as follows:
∆ products markets IP overall analysis,
∆ total identity (TI) construction,
∆ on-site customized brand renovation design excellent patent development,
∆ support in filing an IP application and obtaining an IP right focused on overseas, and etc.
4. KIPO supports the use of medical device patents
- A list of 5,856 patents owned by146 universities, 62 public research institutes is provided.
KIPO announced the provision of a list of patents owned by Korean universities and public research institutes, such that small and medium companies can easily find and use necessary patents.
To this end, KIPO provides the list of patents of universities and public research institutes, which were filed and registered in the medical device field for 15 years (2001~2015), classified by types and made by classes. KIPO supports anyone to easily find medical device-related patents owned by the relevant university and public research institute and to carry forward the technical translation.
According to the analysis result, the representative promising technical fields are widely classified into operative treatment and biometry and narrowly classified into orthopedic devices, bio-diagnosis and electronic stimulators.
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