Lee International

In 2023, the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) was selected as an International Search Authority (ISA) for a total of 30,023 PCT applications, ranking 4^th globally behind Europe, China, and Japan in terms of the number of PCT applications using them as ISAs.

Last year, 73.8% (22,164 cases) of PCT applicants that used KIPO as an ISA were Korean applicants.  Notably, three companies – Samsung Electronics, LG Electronics, and LG Energy Solution – represented approximately 35% of these. Among the foreign PCT applicants using KIPO as an ISA, 23.8% (7,155 cases) were from the U.S., accounting for the majority of foreign PCT applicants. The top five foreign applicants included major U.S. semiconductor companies, such as Applied Materials, Intel, and Lam Research.

In particular, Applied Materials, which has been the leading applicant for several years, has selected KIPO as the ISA for the majority of its PCT applications filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office, averaging 99.6% over the past five years.  Intel (90.9%) and Lam Research (99.9%) also show a similar trend.

Additionally, Korea and Europe are selected as ISAs by foreign PCT applicants at significantly higher percentages compared to China, Japan, and the United States.

This is likely due to the relatively high competitiveness of KIPO and the European Patent Office in terms of search quality, fees, and reliability. In particular, Korea’s advanced high-tech industries, such as semiconductors, secondary batteries, and telecommunications, further enhance its appeal, as it allows for close monitoring of cutting-edge technologies. Therefore, for companies in these industries, selecting KIPO as their ISA is a strategic choice, offering high-quality search results at competitive prices.