[The Era of Intellectual Property Surplus] "Earns More Than the President" A Public Official Receiving 270 Million Won Annually

⑤Patent Office Employees Working in Saudi Arabia and UAE
Active Adoption of Korean Patent System and Procedures
Cooperation Expands with Presidential State Visits

Lee In-sil, Commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office (left), is shaking hands with Abdullah Ahmed Al Saleh, Deputy Minister of the UAE Ministry of Economy in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), after signing a memorandum of understanding.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

There are government officials dispatched to Middle Eastern countries who earn foreign currency. They are employees of the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO). They handle patent examination tasks on behalf of others or work on building patent information systems. These employees receive an annual salary of up to $210,000 (approximately 270 million KRW) in Saudi Arabia and the UAE. This amount exceeds not only this year’s commissioner-level salary (135 million KRW) but also the president’s salary (245 million KRW).

Saudi Arabia’s influential Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman recognized the importance of intellectual property (IP) strategy early on. When he visited Korea in 2019, he signed a project contract for IP cooperation between the two countries. Through this contract, 19 Koreans?including 14 KIPO employees and 5 private experts?were dispatched to the Saudi Intellectual Property Authority. They carried out cooperative tasks such as establishing national IP strategies, strengthening the capabilities of local patent examiners, and providing informatization consulting. Last year, three additional patent examiners were dispatched. At the end of last year, Crown Prince bin Salman visited Korea again, further strengthening the partnership between the two countries. He announced a national IP strategy similar to the strategic system of the Korean Intellectual Property Office, and accordingly, 54 detailed projects are planned to be actively implemented this year.

Employees dispatched to Saudi Arabia sign contracts on a yearly basis. Contracts are renewed for up to three years depending on performance and local conditions. Jeong Dae-soon, head of KIPO’s International Cooperation Division, explained, “Dispatched examiners receive an annual salary of about $190,000 (250 million KRW) in recognition of their expertise and experience.” He added, “Middle Eastern countries highly appreciate Korea’s achievement of entering the top five IP powers in a short period.” Jeon Ik-su, a senior secretary, worked for two years starting in 2019 on computerizing administrative tasks at the Saudi Intellectual Property Authority. Whenever he met elderly Saudis there, he heard stories such as “Korean construction workers who came to Saudi Arabia in the 1970s and 1980s were diligent and passionate” and “the buildings constructed at that time are still sturdy.” Jeon said, “Thanks to the hard work and trust of the workers who endured hardships locally back then, I was able to work with respect.”

The UAE also signed a memorandum of understanding with Korea in 2014 for patent examination delegation. So far, a total of 14 KIPO examiners have been dispatched to the UAE Ministry of Economy. Currently, four examiners are working on patent application examinations. The UAE also signs contracts on a yearly basis (up to three years). Depending on the examiner’s position, they receive an annual salary ranging from $180,000 to $210,000. In January, President Yoon Suk-yeol made a state visit to the UAE, achieving expanded cooperation. The collaboration, initially focused on patent examination and informatization, was extended to industrial design and invention education.

As such exchanges expand, it becomes advantageous for Korean companies seeking to enter the Middle East. This is because patents and other rights can be obtained and protected under IP systems and frameworks similar to those in Korea. Jeong said, “Based on cooperation with Saudi Arabia and the UAE, we will expand IP cooperative relationships with other countries in the Middle East,” adding, “We will continue to spread the Korean Wave of IP and strive to raise Korea’s status in the international community.”