20 years
Korean Industrial Property Office
English: Korea Intellectual Property Office, abbreviation: KIPO
Website: Korean Intellectual Property Office (kipo.go.kr)
Korean Utility Model Patent Search: Integrated Search < SEARCH - KIPRIS Patent Information searching service
10 years
- The average time for partial substantive examination design granted is 1-2 months.
- The average time for substantive examination of design granted is 10-12 months.
Restoration of priority will not be accepted.
- via Paris Convention : 6 months from earliest priority date.
- Hague Agreement route: 6 months from earliest priority date.
Filing Language: Korean
via Paris Convention via Nationalization of PCT Necessary documents:
- Abstract
- Abstract Drawing
- Claim
- Specification
- Drawing
Necessary documents:
- Abstract
- Abstract Drawing
- Claim
- Specification
- Drawing
Attachments (if any)
- Sequence Listing (PDF format and TXT format)
- Microorganism preservation certificate and its Korean translation
- Microorganism survival certificate and its Korean translation
- Power of Attorney
- Priority certification document and its Korean translation
- Declaration of Ownership/Certification of Employment/Assignment of priority
- Assignment for Patent Right Transfer
- Notification issued by CNIPA notify the applicant the application has passed through the security review
Attachments (if any)
- WIPO Publication
- ISR/IPRP
- Entering the Korean national phase 19/28/34/41 amended
- Sequence Listing (PDF format and TXT format)
- Microorganism preservation certificate and its Korean translation
- Microorganism survival certificate and its Korean translation
- Power of Attorney
- Declaration of Ownership/Certification of Employment/Assignment of priority
- Assignment for Patent Right Transfer
KIPO adopts two examination systems, the Substantive Examination System (SES) and the Partial Substantive Examination System (NSES), for designs, and the applicant has no right to choose the examination route. The Partial Substantive Examination System (NSES) is for items that are popular, easy to imitate and have a short life cycle, such as food, clothing and men's clothing (category 2), travel goods (category 3), textiles, man-made and Natural panel materials (Class 5), packaging (Class 9), decorative articles (Class 11), stationery and office equipment, artists and teaching materials (Class 19). For some designs that have been substantiated, the applicant can obtain granted within 1-2 months from the date of submission of the application, and can enjoy new procedures such as combination design and post-granted opposition. The applicant can decide whether to disclose the design at the time of granted. After paying a certain confidentiality fee, the design can be requested not to be disclosed for 3 years. There are 32 levels in the Locarno classification system, but only 31 levels are used in Korea.
no
no
yes. It is possible to change the patent type from utility model to invention within 30 days of receiving the grant/rejection decision, and pay the corresponding fee.