December 11, 2020
Heads of IPTAB and PRB Meeting held via video conference
ㅁ The Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board (IPTAB; President Sung Joon Park) of Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) held a video conference with the Patent Re-examination Board (PRB) of China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA) to talk about improving the quality of intellectual property (IP) trials and appeals and broadening bilateral cooperation in this field. The video conference took place at the International Conference Room of the KIPO on November 26, 2020, at 2:30 pm.
ㅇ Heads of the IPTAB* and the PRB* attended this video conference to discuss action plans to improve IP trial quality, and also to give presentations and have discussions on determination of patentability of e-commerce inventions for which patent filings are increasing due to Covid-19 pandemic.
*(Korea) Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board
*(China) Patent Re-examination Board of China National Intellectual Property Administration
ㅁ The two boards have been holding high-level talks annually in order to enhance mutual understanding and facilitate harmonization of their IP trial and appeal systems. This year’s video conference marks its seventh meeting.
ㅇ Delegates from the IPTAB gave a presentation on “the organizational restructuring of the Trial Boards and the anticipated effects thereof.” The Trial Boards of the IPTAB were restructured into more specialized units based on the technical fields and administrative judges’ experience in last July in an effort to improve quality and faithfulness of IP trials and appeals. Delegates from the PRB gave a presentation on “mechanism of trial quality management and management activities.”
ㅇ In addition, patent administrative judges from both organizations had the opportunity to share their stances with regard to the determination on patentability of e-commerce inventions for which patent filings are increasing due to social distancing measures amidst Covid-19 pandemic, by comparing and discussing specific cases.
ㅁ President Sung Joon Park of the IPTAB remarked, “With the recent signing of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), to which 15 countries including Korea, China, Japan and ASEAN member states participates, disputes over intellectual property rights (IPR) are also likely to increase along with the increased trade with China. It is essential to understand each other’s IP trial systems through active communication and interaction so as to resolve patent disputes smoothly."
ㅇ President Park added, “We will strive to promote improvement and development of the two countries’ IP trial systems through mutual exchange, and improve the measures to prevent IPR disputes and their effective resolutions.”