October 15, 2025
On the day of Inauguration, MOIP Embarks on Global Cooperation with WIPO
The Ministry of Intellectual Property (MOIP) announced that a high-level bilateral meeting was held in Seoul with the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)* on October 1, 2025—the inauguration day of MOIP. MOIP Acting Minister MOK Sungho and WIPO Director General Daren TANG discussed various measures to strengthen global cooperation.
* WIPO is one of the 15 specialized agencies of the United Nations, serves as the principal international forum in the field of intellectual property (IP).
Director General TANG stated, “The elevation of the Korean Intellectual Property Office to the Ministry of Intellectual Property marks a highly significant milestone for the global IP ecosystem.” He added that it was a personal honor for his visit—undertaken to engage directly with Korea’s IP leaders, recognized for their highest-level of innovation capacity* in Asia—to coincide with the inaugural day of the MOIP.
* The Republic of Korea ranked 4th globally among 139 economies and 1st in Asia in WIPO’s 2025 Global Innovation Index (GII).
The two sides engaged in in-depth discussions on the advancement of IP administration through artificial intelligence (AI), joint projects to strengthen IP capacity in developing countries, and the expansion of Korean representation in senior positions at WIPO. They also reviewed the future direction of the WIPO Korea Funds-in-Trust (FIT Korea), which supports capacity-building projects for developing countries, with a particular focus on expanding assistance for SMEs, youth, and women innovators.
Acting Minister MOK remarked, “It is deeply meaningful to meet with the WIPO Director General on the first day of the Ministry’s establishment. IP is both the outcome of creativity and innovation and a key driver of national competitiveness. MOIP will continue to work closely with WIPO to ensure that IP contributes not only to Korea’s growth but also to the shared prosperity of humankind.”
On October 1, during the first day Director General TANG visited Hyundai Motor Company and KOLMAR Korea. Next, on October 2, he will visit SM Entertainment and hold meetings with major IP stakeholders, including the Korean Patent Attorneys Association (KPAA), Korea Intellectual Property Association (KINPA), Korea Invention Promotion Association (KIPA), Korea Intellectual property Strategy Agency (KISTA), and Federation of Intellectual Property Societies (FIPRO) to exchange views on user needs and the future development of WIPO services.
Moreover, Director General TANG is scheduled to deliver a keynote address at the Conference on Anti-Counterfeit Authentication Technologies on October 2, highlighting the importance of protecting IP for innovation-driven growth and the need for proactive and international cooperation.
Photo 1: Acting Minister MOK Sungho delivers remarks during the bilateral meeting.
Photo 2: Acting Minister MOK Sungho (right) and WIPO Director General Daren TANG pose for a commemorative photo after the meeting.
Photo 3: Acting Minister MOK Sungho (sixth from left) and Director General Daren TANG (fifth from left) pose with other participants after the meeting.
