Korean Intellectual Property Office Public Relations

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Who can be employed at KIPO?

Only Korean citizens can be employed as a public official or patent examiner at KIPO. Please check https://www.kipo.go.kr/kpo/BoardApp/UNewEmpApp?board_id=employ&catmenu=m03_01_04_02(Korean) for employment opportunities.
What are the requirements for becoming a patent or trademark attorney in Korea?

According to the Patent Attorney Act, if you wish to become a patent attorney in Korea, you need to pass a patent attorney exam and complete a certain period of on-the-job training. Once you've met those requirements you can register at KIPO as an attorney. In Korea, there is no distinction between a patent attorney and a trademark attorney.
Irrespective of nationality, any person of good character (i.e. without a criminal record) can sit for the patent attorney exam. Note however that knowledge of the Korean language is required because, although the exam has an English component, most of the questions are in Korean.
Which government agency handles copyright issues in Korea?

In Korea, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (www.mcst.go.kr) is responsible for copyright issues. The ministry cooperates with various copyright-related organizations regarding the enforcement of copyright laws. KIPO does not handle copyright issues.
Where can I purchase Korean patent data?

You can purchase Korean patent data from the Korea Intellectual Property Rights Information Service (KIPRIS, rawdata@kipris.or.kr).
Where and how can I search for information on Korea's patent abstracts?

You can use the web site of the Korea Intellectual Property Rights Information Service (KIPRIS) to conduct an online search of Korean Patent Abstracts (KPA) of registered applications.

Click on "KPA Search" on the KIPRIS web site.
http://kpa.kipris.or.kr/kpa/LO/LOIN0000Fram.jsp?searchType=S The search fields include the following: patent number, applicant's name, inventor's name, application number, application date, publication number, publication date, priority number, and International Patent Classification code.

Additional guidelines for using the KIPRIS KPA can be found on the main menu of our web site by clicking on
"Patent Search/KPA Search".
Which international treaties on intellectual property rights is the Republic of Korea a member of?

The Republic of Korea is a member of the following international treaties:
- Convention Establishing WIPO (1967)
- Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property (1980)
- Patent Cooperation Treaty (1984)
- Convention for the Protection of Producers of Phonograms against Unauthorized Duplication of Their Phonograms (1987)
- Budapest Treaty on the International Recognition of the Deposit Microorganisms for the Purpose of Patent Procedure (1988)
- WTO Agreement of Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights, including Trade in Counterfeit Goods (1995)
- Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (1996)
- Strasbourg Agreement Concerning the International Patent Classification (1998)
- Nice Agreement Concerning the International Classification of Goods and Services for the Purposes of Registration of Marks (1998)
- Trademark Law Treaty (2002)
- International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (2002)
- Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks (2003)
- WIPO Copyright Treaty (2004)
- WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT) (2009)
- International Convention for the Protection of Performers, Producers of Phonograms and Broadcasting Organizations (Rome Convention) (2009)
- Hague Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Industrial Designs (Geneva Act, 1999) (2014)
- Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks (2016)
- Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired or Otherwise Print Disabled (2015)
- Beijing Treaty on Audiovisual Performances (2020)
What are the office hours of KIPO?

Our regular office hours are Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 6:00 pm
Our Customer Service Centers in Seoul and Daejeon are open onMonday through Friday, 9:00am to 6:00pm, and Saturday from 9:00am to 1:00pm
The online application service is available:
Monday to Saturday: 24 hours
Sunday and public holidays: 9:00am to 9:00pm
Call Center: 1544-8080 (Korean language only)
Monday to Friday: 9:00am to 9:00pm
Saturday: 9:00am to 1:00pm
What happens if a deadline falls on a weekend or public holiday?

If the deadline of any intellectual property procedure falls on a weekend or public holiday, the deadline is automatically shifted to the next working day.
Where is KIPO located?

The headquarters of KIPO is located in the city of Daejeon. Our address is as follows:
Gov. Complex Daejeon Bildg.4
189, Cheongsa-ro, Seogu, Daejeon
302-701, Republic of Korea

Seoul Branch Office
Address : KIPS building 4-6th floor, 647-9 Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam-ku, Seoul, Korea (135-980)
Tel : KIPO Call Center 82-2-1544-8080 / 82-2-568-8155~7
Location : 250 meters towards Gangnam Station from Exit #4 of Yeoksam Station on subway line # 2
80 minutes from Incheon Airport by Airport Bus (Gangnam, Yeoksam Direction)

Last updated 13 August 2020
International Cooperation Division