KIPO-Trade Commission Join Hands to Support Companies Affected by Technology Leakage

The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) and the Trade Commission join forces to support companies affected by technology leakage.

On the 17th, KIPO announced that it signed a "Memorandum of Understanding for Technology Protection and Establishment of Fair Trade Order" with the Trade Commission at the KIPO Seoul Office located in Gangnam-gu, Seoul.

The agreement was made to quickly assist companies harmed by technology leakage and intellectual property rights infringement by linking KIPO's technology and trademark police investigations (KIPO's responsibility) with the Trade Commission's investigations into unfair trade practices (Trade Commission's responsibility), and to establish a fair technology protection system.

According to the agreement, both organizations will expand cooperation through ▲ mutual linkage between criminal punishment and administrative sanctions ▲ coordination between the Trade Commission's investigations into unfair trade practices and KIPO's dispute mediation system ▲ expedited handling of adjudication cases related to unfair trade practice investigations ▲ and KIPO's technical advisory support during the Trade Commission's unfair trade practice investigations.

Lee In-sil, Commissioner of KIPO, stated, "By combining KIPO's investigative capabilities on technology leakage and intellectual property infringement crimes with the Trade Commission's administrative sanctions on unfair trade practices, we expect that the relief process for affected companies will be carried out more swiftly in the future."

Lee Jae-min, Chairman of the Trade Commission, said, "We expect that strengthening cooperation between the two organizations will help create a foundation where companies can compete and grow in a fair environment."