Patent Office Supports 'Legal Services' for Overseas Intellectual Property Dispute Response

The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) will support legal services for overseas intellectual property (IP) dispute response for domestic export companies.

KIPO announced on the 28th that it will recruit companies to participate in the ‘Overseas Intellectual Property Center Legal Service Support Project’ starting from the 4th of next month.

Provided by the Korean Intellectual Property Office

The project is promoted to support domestic export (or prospective export) companies in overseas IP applications, preparation of legal opinions, and investigation of IP infringement damages through 10 Overseas Intellectual Property Centers established in 8 countries: the United States (LA, Washington), China (Beijing, Guangzhou), Japan (Tokyo), Europe (Frankfurt), Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh), Thailand (Bangkok), India (New Delhi), and Mexico (Mexico City).

All companies registered for business in Korea and currently operating or planning to operate in the supported countries (40 countries) can participate in the project. Applications can be submitted through the Overseas Intellectual Property Center Support Project application portal.

KIPO plans to further strengthen IP protection for export companies this year by expanding the pool of cooperating law firms by country and increasing the operation of consultation desks at export exhibitions.

The expansion of the law firm pool aims to increase the number of local cooperating law firms from the current 108 to 120, focusing on countries where Overseas Intellectual Property Centers are not established. This will enhance the choice for applying companies and induce competition among cooperating law firms to improve the quality of legal service support.

Based on strengthened cooperation with the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), mobile consultation desks of the Overseas Intellectual Property Centers will be set up at major export exhibitions held at overseas trade centers to provide on-site services, making it easier for export companies to receive IP consultations.

The mobile consultation desks will not only resolve export companies’ usual questions about IP but also assist companies in promptly responding to overseas IP disputes through fast-track support.

For more detailed information about the project, including contact information for each Overseas Intellectual Property Center and how to apply for support, please visit the Korea Intellectual Property Protection Agency website.

Shin Sang-gon, Director of the Industrial Property Protection Cooperation Bureau at KIPO, said, “Securing and protecting IP locally is essential for companies to successfully settle overseas. Considering this, KIPO will continuously strengthen IP protection policies through the Overseas Intellectual Property Centers to support companies’ export expansion.”