By Bae Ji-sook
Korea’s legal revisions to reinforce its intellectual property ecosystem will be a means to boost the creative economy, the chief of South Korea’s intellectual property management authority said at a meeting of his counterparts from 188 countries who gathered in Geneva to discuss the future of IP encouragement and protection earlier this month.
“The South Korean government amended both the Patent Act and the Utility Model Act in order to give people the choice of filing their applications in either Korean or English,” said Choi Dong-gyou, commissioner at the Korean Intellectual Property Office, on Oct. 5 at the 55th Series of Meetings of the Assemblies of the member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization.
“We will deposit the instrument of ratification to facilitate access to published works for persons who are visually impaired or otherwise print-disabled during this Assembly,” he said.
The commissioner also introduced the country’s establishment of 17 creative economy innovation centers that will assist the commercialization and the growth of small to midsize enterprises and venture companies, through ways such as providing intellectual property-based financing.
“Last year, about $150 million was loaned to 303 companies,” Choi said. He suggested that the centers would become a base camp for sharing results on creative economy cultivation with international societies.
Choi then held meetings with WIPO director Francis Gurry as well as his counterparts from the U.S., Japan and the U.K. to discuss current affairs such as multinational cooperation.
He also signed a memorandum of understanding with Colombia in Patent Prosecution Highways that expedite patent applications. The PPH allowing aggressive expedition and communication is expected to save time and energy for both countries in the patent-granting process as well as IP protection.
Korea also hosted a seminar titled “The First 10 Years of Funds in-Trust at WIPO” on Oct. 8.
“We sought to solidify South Korea’s status as one of the IP leaders, and create a global IP standard that will help Korean companies refine their competitive edge in the global scene,” said KIPO official Lim Hyun-seok.
WIPO is a global forum for intellectual property services, policy, information and cooperation. The multinational organization is to lead the development of a balanced and effective international intellectual property system that enables innovation and creativity for the benefit of all.
At this year’s meeting, the participants adopted a number of amendments to the regulations to provide greater accessibility and flexibility for applicants and also to better share the results of the work performed by each office.
The member states also took note of the report of the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights and directed it to continue work on protection of broadcasting organizations, limitations and exceptions for libraries and archives, and limitations and exceptions for educational and research institutions and persons with other disabilities.
(baejisook@heraldcorp.com)