Chinese Patent Applications in South Korea Surge 15.3%: "Part of Aggressive Market Expansion"

In the first half of this year, patent applications in South Korea by Chinese nationals surged. Analysts attribute this increase to aggressive moves aimed at capturing a larger share of the domestic market, particularly in sectors such as electric vehicles, which are closely linked to the rise in patent filings.

According to the "Key Industrial Property Statistics for the First Half of 2025" released by the Intellectual Property Office on October 13, the number of patent applications in South Korea by Chinese nationals in the first half of this year reached 3,021, marking a 15.3% increase from the same period last year (2,622 applications). During the same period, applications by South Korean nationals rose modestly from 82,472 to 83,815 (up 1.6%), and those by Japanese nationals increased from 6,815 to 7,298 (up 7.2%). In contrast, the number of applications by U.S. nationals fell from 8,057 to 7,511 (down 6.8%), and applications by European nationals decreased from 6,244 to 6,132 (down 1.8%).

Status of Domestic Patent Applications by Applicant Nationality. Provided by the Intellectual Property Office

Some observers believe that the increase in patent applications by Chinese nationals is part of an aggressive strategy to boost their market share in South Korea. An official from the Intellectual Property Office explained, "China appears to be leveraging the South Korean market as a strategic base to overcome unfavorable conditions such as slowing domestic market growth and trade conflicts with the United States. The rise in patent applications by local applicants can also be interpreted in this context." Meanwhile, South Korean companies are also expanding their efforts to secure global intellectual property rights.

For example, in the first half of this year, the number of overseas patent applications filed by South Korean nationals with the five major intellectual property offices (the United States, China, Japan, Europe, and South Korea, collectively known as IP5) reached 127,247, a 2.8% increase from the same period last year (123,792 applications). Domestic patent applications in IP5 countries also rose by 1.6%, from 107,620 to 109,322. Of these, applications by South Korean nationals increased from 82,472 to 83,815, reflecting the same growth rate of 1.6%.

Among the four major foreign intellectual property offices (excluding South Korea), the United States was the top destination for patent applications by South Korean nationals. In the domestic breakdown of patent applications by industry, ICT-related sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI) and quantum computing technologies dominated the top 10 fields for South Korean applicants.

In the first half of this year, patent applications in these fields totaled 14,089, a 13.5% increase from the same period last year (12,413 applications). The growth in patent applications related to secondary batteries was also notable. In the first half of this year, South Korean nationals filed 5,672 patent applications in the secondary battery sector, up 5.4% from 4,844 applications a year earlier. This increase was largely driven by major domestic corporations, including the three leading companies in the secondary battery industry: LG, Samsung, and SK.

Jung Jaehwan, Director General of Intellectual Property Information at the Intellectual Property Office, stated, "Amid intensifying competition among major countries in advanced and core industries, the increase in patent applications by South Koreans is an important indicator that domestic companies are not losing momentum and are actively pursuing technological development. The Intellectual Property Office will continue to provide robust support to ensure that domestic companies can overcome challenges and achieve growth based on patents in future industries such as AI and secondary batteries, despite an unstable domestic and international environment."