Hospital and clinic signs say 'Seoul National University,' but are they not graduates of Seoul National University?

Number of Unauthorized Uses of Seoul National University Logo Reported: 22 Cases in 2020 → 233 Cases in 2023, a 10-Fold Increase
Hospitals, Clinics, and Dental Clinics Account for 94% with 737 Cases... Unauthorized Use by Health Food Companies, Academies, etc.
Assemblyman Kim Won-i Calls for Active Measures by the Patent Office to Protect Consumer Rights and Health Rights

Seoul National University Main Gate
[Photo by Seoul National University]

It has been revealed that the number of hospitals, clinics, and healthcare-related companies unauthorizedly using the Seoul National University logo has surged.

According to data submitted by the Seoul National University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation to Kim Won-i, a member of the National Assembly’s Industry, Trade, Resources, Small and Medium Enterprises Committee from the Democratic Party of Korea, the total number of unauthorized uses of the Seoul National University logo reported over the past five years was 787 cases involving 409 companies. Looking at the figures by year, unauthorized use, which was only 22 cases in 2020, increased more than tenfold to 233 cases in 2023, with 153 cases reported in the first half of this year alone, showing a significant rise. By industry, healthcare services such as hospitals, clinics, and dental clinics accounted for 737 cases, making up 94% of the total 787 cases. It was also revealed that health food sellers, academies, law offices, patent firms, and pharmacies unauthorizedly used the Seoul National University logo.

Unauthorized Use of Seoul National University Logo and Cases of Unapproved Logo Usage [Data provided by Seoul National University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, Assemblyman Kim Won-i]

Unauthorized Use of Seoul National University Logo and Cases of Representatives Not Meeting Qualification Requirements [Data provided by Seoul National University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation and Representative Kim Won-i]

According to the guidelines on the management of Seoul National University trademarks, alumni hospitals and clinics (including dental clinics, pharmacies, and veterinary hospitals) must submit a trademark use application to Seoul National University and undergo a review process. The logo can be used only if the institution’s representative is a graduate of Seoul National University’s College of Medicine, College of Dentistry, College of Pharmacy, or College of Veterinary Medicine and has opened a hospital, clinic, or pharmacy. Graduates from other medical schools who have completed internships or residency programs at Seoul National University Hospital are not permitted to use the Seoul National University logo on their signage, as this constitutes unauthorized use. For general companies, contracts must be concluded after review by the Seoul National University Intellectual Property Management Committee, and a separate trademark usage fee must be paid. The logo can be used if the company has commercialized technology licensed through a technology transfer agreement with Seoul National University. In 2020, a biotechnology company was ordered by the court to pay 70 million KRW in damages for unauthorized use of the “Seoul National University Genetic Engineering Research Institute” label on health functional food product boxes sold by its client.

Assemblyman Kim Won-i stated, "Although the Korean Intellectual Property Office issued a press release in 2022 cautioning against the use of university names and logos, it has not implemented active crackdowns or preventive measures against the recent surge in unauthorized use." He added, "Unauthorized use of university logos is not only a trademark infringement but also an act of deceiving consumers and must be strictly regulated. Especially in fields directly related to public health, such as medical institutions and health food companies, the Korean Intellectual Property Office must thoroughly manage and monitor to prevent consumer harm and devise effective countermeasures."