"The K-PION service is available to authorized government patent offices only"

What is K-PION?

The Korean Patent Information Online Network (K-PION) is a Korean to English machine translation service provided by KIPO aiming to help patent examiners around the world in referring to and reviewing Korean patent information.

It offers original texts and the corresponding English translations of the following information:

  • File wrapper information (Bibliographic Data, Transaction History, and Publication Document) for patent/utility model/trademark/design applications published by KIPO
  • English keyword search of Korean Patent Abstracts (KPAs)
  • File wrapper information of international applications filed to KIPO under PCT

What is the background of K-PION?

The Republic of Korea has many cutting-edge technologies in fields such as LCDs, PDPs, semiconductors, and mobile phones. So, if you are a patent examiner, you may need to review the patent documents of Korean companies in order to keep abreast of the latest technologies.

Furthermore, in October 2005, the Assembly of the Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) Union decided to incorporate Korean patent documents into the PCT minimum documentation. This decision means that every International Searching Authority and International Preliminary Examining Authority is obligated to search and review Korean patent documents in any examination of international patent applications under the PCT.

In view of our cutting-edge technology and the PCT Union's decision, we expect to see a great increase in the number of patent examiners referring to Korean patent information. Naturally, though, we don't expect you to learn or understand the Korean language. This is why we have decided to offer you the K-PION service.

What are the benefits of K-PION?

K-PION saves time

K-PION was specifically designed to translate Korean patent information into English. In a recent survey of non-Korean examiners, the K-PION translations scored a satisfaction level of about 86.6 percent. Hence, with K-PION, even if you are unfamiliar with the Korean language, you can quickly and easily understand Korean patent information.

K-PION improves the quality of examinations

As of February 2013, we have reduced our average patent examination period to 14 months; that is, for the period from the date of filing to the date of the first patent examination opinion. With K-PION, you will, therefore, have quick access to high-quality information on most Korean patent examinations and you can easily review Korean patent information and improve the quality of your examinations.

K-PION is readily available

K-PION is made available around the clock, except during system maintenance (Sunday, 04:00 ~ 06:00 KST) So you can retrieve information from the Internet at any time. Best of all, it is free of charge.

Guidelines for using K-PION

How can I access K-PION?

The K-PION service is for the exclusive use of examiners working with foreign intellectual property offices, with restrictions on the access of individuals and/or entities from the private sector.

Any IP office wishing to use the K-PION service is asked to send us a K-PION Registration Form, accompanying an official letter of request for access, signed by the director of the international affairs division or the equivalent in your office at kpion@korea.kr, or via fax +82-42-472-3460. To download the K-PION Registration Form, please click here.

Once we have authenticated the addresses, you will be able to see the search page of the K-PION website without any login procedure, as shown below.

the K-PIONO website

How can I search for information?

K-PION allows searches by database index number (i.e., Application Number, Unexamined Publication Number, Examined Publication Number, or Registration Number). It also offers a key-word search service for Korean Patent Abstracts (KPA) in English. You can retrieve not only a KPA by English keywords and Boolean operators (user's query) but also related official Gazettes and File wrapper information.

Search results include file wrapper information or transaction histories and can be viewed in either original Korean text or machine-translated English. K-PION allows users to download PDF copies of the results.

  • 1) Type of Patent/Utility Model: Choose one of the index numbers above
  • 2) Number: Type the 13 digit number of the record needed
  • 3) Go: Click 'Go' after inputting your data
Numbering System
  • Application/Publication/Examined Publication Number
    • Korean IP Rights (2 digits) + Year (4 digits) + Serial Number (7 digits)
      Ex) Application type + '1020040108790'
  • Registration Number
    • Korean IP Rights (2 digits) + Serial Number (7 digits) + Partial Transfer (2 digits) + Renewal Division (2 digits)
      Ex) Registration type + '1004989560000'

Please send us your feedback

If you encounter any problems or have any ideas or opinions on how to improve the K-PION translations, please contact us by using the K-PION mistranslation report service or by sending an e-mail to kpion@korea.kr

  • Last updated 07 March 2024
  • Industrial Property Information Policy Division