Samsung Electronics was named the holder of the most patents in South Korea, while Amorepacific topped the list for the most trademarks.
On May 8, the Korean Intellectual Property Office announced the results of its survey on multiple patent and trademark holders, conducted in commemoration of the 80th anniversary of Liberation and the 60th anniversary of Invention Day this year. The survey aimed to recognize those who have driven industrial development and technological innovation in South Korea.
According to the survey, Samsung Electronics holds 134,802 patents, making it the top patent holder, while Amorepacific holds 16,514 trademarks, ranking first among trademark holders. The multiple registration holders were selected based on the cumulative number of registrations under the right holder's name, covering records from the enactment of the Patent Act in 1946 and the Trademark Act in 1949 up to December of last year.
The first Korean patent was registered in 1909 by independence activist Jeong Inho, for a horsehair hat. It is reported that Jeong Inho used the proceeds from this patent to fund the independence movement.
After Liberation, the first patent was registered in 1948 for the "oil dye manufacturing method" by the Central Industrial Research Institute (now the National Institute of Technology and Standards). Including these, a total of 2,705,171 patents had been registered by the end of last year. The Korean Intellectual Property Office projects that the number of registered patents will surpass 3 million by 2027.
Of all patents registered to date, 5.0% are held by Samsung Electronics. In 2024 alone, Samsung Electronics registered 5,255 patents. Since entering the electronics business in 1969, Samsung Electronics has focused on securing patents as it has gained global prominence in advanced technology sectors such as semiconductors and mobile devices.
LG Electronics ranked second among multiple patent holders, with 77,802 patents, accounting for 2.9% of all registered patents. Since developing the first domestically produced radio in 1959, LG Electronics has led technological development in fields such as smart home appliances. Last year, the company registered 2,424 patents.
Following Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics, Hyundai Motor ranked third (54,305 patents), SK Hynix fourth (39,071 patents), and LG Display fifth (28,544 patents).
Among the top five multiple trademark holders were Amorepacific (16,514 trademarks), LG Household & Health Care (15,969 trademarks), Amorepacific Group (9,357 trademarks), CJ (9,317 trademarks), and Lotte Holdings (9,272 trademarks).
Since the first trademark registration in 1949, with Cheonil Industry's trademark "天," a total of 2,741,047 trademarks had been registered by the end of last year. The Korean Intellectual Property Office expects the number of trademark registrations to surpass 3 million around 2029.
Active participation by companies and individuals in the field of intellectual property rights has elevated Korea's status in the international community. As of 2023, Korea ranked fourth in the world in patent applications and first in patent applications relative to GDP. Through these achievements, Korea has joined the ranks of the world's top five advanced intellectual property nations (IP5), alongside the patent offices of Europe, Japan, China, and the United States.
Kim Wangi, Commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office, stated, "I hope that the announcement of the survey results on multiple patent and trademark holders will serve as an opportunity to shed light not just on records, but also on the process of Korea's industrial development and economic growth. Despite unstable domestic and international conditions this year, the Korean Intellectual Property Office will spare no effort in supporting our companies so they can overcome crises and lead technological innovation based on intellectual property."
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