Artificial Intelligence (AI) Security Industry to Determine Future Competitiveness
As AI technology increasingly influences industries and everyday life, AI-related security technology is gaining attention. According to the 2024-2026 SME Strategic Technology Roadmap by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (Feb. 2024), the AI security market is valued at $24.3 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow to $53.1 billion by 2027.
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Supreme Court Ruling Recognizing Indirect Patent Infringement Liability for Semiconductor Equipment Consumables
The Supreme Court upheld the Intellectual Property High Court (IPHC)’s decision (2023 Na 10204), ordering SMT Corporation (“SMT”), a Korean small and medium-sized enterprise, to pay approximately KRW 3.4 billion (USD 2.34 million) in damages for indirect infringement of patent rights of Lam Research, a U.S. semiconductor equipment company (Supreme Court decision 2024 Da 230695).
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Drug Data Exclusivity to Enter into Force
The revised Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, effective February 21, 2025, eliminates the previous drug re-examination procedures and establishes a clear legal foundation for drug data exclusivity.
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Strengthened Crackdown on Intellectual Property Infringement by KIPO: Key Actions for Right Holders in 2025
In 2024, the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) took proactive measures to combat the illegal importation and distribution of counterfeit goods in Korea and protect brand value. Specifically, KIPO collaborated with the Korea Customs Service (KCS) to detect counterfeit goods entering the country through cross-border e-commerce. Between April and October 2024, KIPO provided over 2,000 pieces of intelligence, leading to the seizure of more than 5,000 counterfeit goods. Building on this success, KIPO signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the KCS in November 2024 to further strengthen efforts to prevent counterfeit goods from entering Korea.
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Two-Sided Impact of Recently Revised Patent Practices on Examination Pendency
Effective January 1, 2025, the Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board (IPTAB) has implemented measures to streamline patent and design cases under appeal for a final rejection, aiming to prevent delays in registration. Under this change, cases will be remanded to examiners only if further examination is required due to unresolved issues or newly discovered grounds for rejection. Otherwise, trial judges can directly issue a notice of allowance through an appeal decision. This revision is expected to expedite patent or design registrations by one to two months.
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Surge in Standard Patent Application Filings Related to IoT-related Mobile Communication Technology
According to a survey by IRS Global, an industrial information research organization, approximately 17 billion IoT devices were in use worldwide as of 2022. This number is expected to grow to 22 billion by 2025, with an estimated market size of $554.8 billion. Accordingly, interest in IoT standard patents based on 3GPP, which are essential for loT implementation - is also increasing.
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Awarded in Chambers Asia-Pacific Guide 2025 : South Korea & Legal 500 2025
Lee International was selected as Band 1 in the ‘2025 Chambers & Partners – Asia Pacific’ Intellectual Property Patent Specialists’. ‘Chambers & Partners’ is a world-renowned legal media publisher that evaluates and selects excellent law firms by country every year.
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