KIPO Announces Additional Recruitment for 'Industrial Property Diagnosis Institutions'

The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) announced on the 28th that it will recruit additional "Industrial Property Diagnostic Institutions" (hereinafter referred to as diagnostic institutions) from the 28th of this month until the 8th of next month.

Diagnostic institutions are statutory organizations that comprehensively investigate and analyze industrial property and industrial property information such as patents to assist companies and research institutes in establishing directions and strategies for research and development or commercialization.

KIPO annually designates and operates new diagnostic institutions by preparing related regulations to improve the quality of private sector industrial property investigation and analysis through systematic designation and fostering of diagnostic institutions, and to revitalize the intellectual property service market. As of June, there are a total of 269 organizations or institutions operating as diagnostic institutions.

To be designated as a diagnostic institution, applicants must meet requirements such as specialized personnel by technical field, dedicated workspaces, facilities and equipment, and security systems, and submit an application through the Industrial Property Diagnostic Institution Management System.

KIPO plans to complete the designation of diagnostic institutions by the end of December after conducting document reviews and on-site inspections of the organizations or institutions that submit applications.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) using diagnostic institutions can receive tax credits for a portion of the costs incurred for industrial property investigation and analysis paid to the diagnostic institutions.

Shin Won-hye, head of the Industrial Property Creation Strategy Team at KIPO, stated, “By designating and fostering diagnostic institutions with expertise, KIPO will establish a private ecosystem to activate strategic investigation and analysis of industrial property.”