"Mandus Are Traditional Chinese Food," Chinese State Media Criticizes Korean Company Holding Mandu Design Patent

Concerns Raised Over Potential Future Patent Infringement

Chinese state media has sparked controversy by targeting a Korean company that obtained a patent related to dumpling shapes in the United States, calling it "absurd."

On the 16th, China’s Global Times introduced CJ CheilJedang’s dumpling patent in a post titled "Absurd! Korean company applied for a patent on dumpling shapes" on its official Weibo account.

The Global Times stated, "According to the official website of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the patent application for dumplings recently filed by Korea’s CJ CheilJedang has been approved," adding, "The application date for the patent was February 24, 2023, the approval date is April 8, 2025, and the patent protection period is 15 years."

Post uploaded on the 16th on the Global Times Weibo account. Weibo capture.

It further noted, "CJ CheilJedang attached 14 photos of dumplings taken from various angles," and added, "CJ CheilJedang owns the dumpling brand 'Bibigo,' which is also sold on Chinese e-commerce platforms and in large supermarkets."

The U.S. design patent protects the external features of a product rather than its function, granting exclusive rights over the product’s shape and design during the protection period.

Following this news, concerns about potential legal disputes when entering the U.S. market were raised within China. On the same day, Chinese local media Dashang News reported, "(CJ CheilJedang) specifically defined the dumpling’s design characteristics, such as 14 to 16 spiral folds made clockwise," and stated, "Accordingly, Chinese dumplings with the same design could be involved in patent infringement issues under U.S. patent law."