WIPO Director General Visits Korea... "Discussing Closing the Gap Between Developed and Developing Countries"

[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] The Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (hereinafter WIPO) will visit South Korea as his first overseas trip of the year.

Daren Tang, Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization. Photo by the Korean Intellectual Property Office

The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) announced on the 6th that WIPO Director General Daren Tang (photo) will make an official visit to South Korea from the 7th to the 11th.

According to KIPO, Director General Tang has often referred to South Korea as a "powerhouse of innovation and creativity" and has expressed his desire to experience the country's innovation ecosystem firsthand. This is the reason why South Korea was chosen as the first overseas destination for his trip this year.

During his visit, Director General Tang will visit companies such as LG Electronics and Amorepacific, and meet with stakeholders including the Korean Patent Attorneys Association and the Korea Intellectual Property Association (KINPA), experiencing South Korea's development through intellectual property and its innovation ecosystem.

He is also scheduled to discuss ways to bridge the intellectual property gap between developed and developing countries, which is deepening due to digital transformation and other factors.

Director General Tang will hold a bilateral meeting with KIPO Commissioner Lee In-sil. During the meeting, both sides will discuss ways to strengthen the capabilities of developing countries using the Korea Trust Fund and explore methods to share South Korea's invention education experience and know-how with developing countries.

KIPO Commissioner Lee In-sil said, "At a time when the importance of intellectual property is greater than ever, it is very meaningful that the head of the international organization overseeing global intellectual property is visiting South Korea," adding, "KIPO plans to further strengthen South Korea's role as a global hub for intellectual property through Director General Tang's visit."

Meanwhile, WIPO is a specialized UN agency that oversees 26 international treaties related to intellectual property and works with member countries to establish new international norms.