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Overview
Application by IPR type
(unit: cases)
| Category | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patents | 213,694 | 208,830 | 204,775 | 209,992 | 218,975 |
| Utility Models | 8,711 | 7,767 | 6,811 | 6,232 | 5,447 |
| Subtotal | 222,405 | 216,597 | 211,586 | 216,224 | 224,422 |
| Designs | 67,954 (70,190) |
64,678 (66,728) |
62,528 (64,986) |
62,823 (65,434) |
64,111 (66,637) |
| Trademarks | 185,443 (239,334) |
170,347 (204,012) |
168,556 (202,539) |
185,968 (232,109) |
204,998 (252,309) |
| Total | 475,802 (533,929) |
451,622 (696,167) |
442,670 (485,922) |
465,015 (513,767) |
493,531 (543,368) |
Note: Figures in parentheses include multiple applications.
PCT applications
(unit: cases)
| Category | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of applications | 14,594 | 15,595 | 15,790 | 16,991 | 18,885 |
| Growth rate | 11.1% | 6.8% | 1.2% | 7.6% | 11.1% |
International trademark applications under the Madrid System
(unit: cases)
| Category | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Korea as office of origin | 990 | 942 | 1,053 | 1,322 | 1,419 |
| Korea as designated office | 12,931 | 11.259 | 14,362 | 14,373 | 16,509 |
International design applications under the Hague System
(unit: cases)
| Category | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Korea as office of origin | 104 | 133 | 116 | 178 |
| Korea as designated office | 981 | 925 | 857 | 928 |
Average first office action pendency
(unit: months)
| Category | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patents / Utility models | 10.0 | 10.6 | 10.4 | 10.3 | 10.8 |
| Trademarks | 4.7 | 4.8 | 5.0 | 5.5 | 6.8 |
| Designs | 4.4 | 4.7 | 4.9 | 4.9 | 5.4 |
PCT international search reports and preliminary examinations undertaken by KIPO
(unit: cases)
| Category | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| International Search Reports | 28,468 | 28,176 | 25,955 | 24,123 | 27,167 |
| International Preliminary Examinations | 208 | 209 | 169 | 131 | 131 |
Note: Based on KIPO data
Registrations by IPR type
(unit: cases)
| Category | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Patents | 101,873 | 108,875 | 120,662 | 119,014 | 125,661 |
| Utility models | 3,253 | 2,854 | 2,993 | 2,715 | 2,417 |
| Subtotal | 105,126 | 111,729 | 123,655 | 121,729 | 128,078 |
| Designs | 54,551 | 55,602 | 49,293 | 49,905 | 52,850 |
| Trademarks | 114,746 | 119,255 | 116,704 | 115,025 | 125,594 |
| Total | 274,423 | 286,586 | 289,652 | 286,659 | 306,522 |
Note: Trademark registration renewals are excluded.
Trials and appeals requested
(unit: cases)
| Category | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appeal against examiner's decision to reject application |
Patents | 6,093 | 5,470 | 4,351 | 3,624 | 2,820 |
| Utility models | 112 | 200 | 180 | 162 | 128 | |
| Designs | 119 | 109 | 90 | 102 | 58 | |
| Trademarks | 1,559 (2,293) |
1,626 (2,284) |
1,569 (2,295) |
1,437 (2,046) |
1,330 (1,868) |
|
| Subtotal | 7,883 (8,617) |
7,405 (8,063) |
6,190 (6,916) |
5,325 (5,934) |
4,336 (4,874) |
|
| Appeals against examiner's decision to dismiss amendment |
Patents | - | 1 | 1 | 1 | - |
| Utility models | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Designs | 7 (15) | 5 | 1 | - | - | |
| Trademarks | 6 (7) | 5 (11) | - | - | 3 | |
| Subtotal | 13 (22) | 11 (17) | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Appeal against examiner's decision of cancellation |
Patents | - | - | - | - | - |
| Utility models | 1 | - | - | - | - | |
| Designs | 4 | 2 | - | 1 | 3 | |
| Trademarks | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Subtotal | 5 | 2 | - | 1 | 3 | |
| Trials for correction |
Patents | 134 | 145 | 136 | 128 | 127 |
| Utility models | 6 | 9 | 4 | - | 2 | |
| Designs | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Trademarks | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Subtotal | 140 | 154 | 140 | 128 | 129 | |
| Invalidation | Patents | 2,194 | 548 | 529 | 460 | 478 |
| Utility models | 80 | 50 | 27 | 21 | 15 | |
| Designs | 209 (210) | 247 | 194 | 207 | 215 | |
| Trademarks | 584 (658) | 492 (553) | 433 (486) | 472 (559) | 472 (541) | |
| Subtotal | 3,067 (3,142) |
1,337 (1,398) |
1,183 (1,236) |
1,160 (1,247) |
1,180 (1,249) |
|
| Trials to confirm scope of IP right |
Patents | 691 | 632 | 671 | 512 | 348 |
| Utility models | 53 | 47 | 29 | 20 | 21 | |
| Designs | 138 | 149 | 136 | 151 | 136 | |
| Trademarks | 93 (132) | 101 (170) | 90 (102) | 158 (175) | 103 (123) | |
| Subtotal | 975 (1,014) |
929 (998) |
926 (938) |
841 (858) |
608 (628) |
|
| Cancellation trials on trademark registration |
Patents | - | - | 1 | 1 | - |
| Utility models | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Designs | - | - | - | 17 | - | |
| Trademarks | 1,903 (2,305) |
2,122 (2,526) |
2,124 (2,474) |
2,523 (3,011) |
2,574 (3,193) |
|
| Subtotal | 1,903 (2,305) |
2,122 (2,526) |
2,125 (2,475) |
2,541 (3,029) |
2,574 (3,193) |
|
| Opposition of patent / utility model |
Patents | - | - | 109 | 150 | 174 |
| Utility models | - | - | 1 | 4 | 1 | |
| Designs | - | - | 1 | - | - | |
| Trademarks | - | - | - | - | - | |
| Subtotal | - | - | 111 | 154 | 175 | |
| Grand total | Patents | 9,112 | 6,796 | 5,689 | 4,876 | 3,947 |
| Utility models | 252 | 306 | 240 | 207 | 167 | |
| Designs | 477 (486) | 512 | 421 | 478 | 412 | |
| Trademarks | 4,145 (5,395) |
4,346 (5,544) |
4,216 (5,357) |
4,590 (5,791) |
4,482 (5,728) |
|
| Total | 13,986 (15,245) |
11,960 (13,158) |
10,566 (11,565) |
10,151 (11,352) |
9,008 (10,254) |
Note1: Figures in parentheses include multiple applications.
Note2: Opposition of patents / Utility model has been enforced from March, 2019
* Rejection refers to appeals against examiners' decisions of refusal and appeals against examiners' decisions to dismiss utility models.
** Invalidation refers to invalidation trials and trials for invalidation of corrections.
Last updated 04 February 2021
Trade and Cooperation Division
