Lee International

Enhanced Protection and Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights in Korea

The revisions to the Korean Patent Act, Trademark Act, and Design Protection Act, enacted on January 21, 2025, will take effect on July 22, 2025.

Korean Intellectual Property High Court Awards Punitive Damages for Willful Patent Infringement for the First Time

The Korean Intellectual Property High Court (IPHC)'s decision issued on October 31, 2024 (Case No. 2023 Na 11276) is attracted significant attention as the first IPHC ruling to award punitive damages for willful patent infringement. This decision is expected to serve as an important precedent and help shape the criteria for determining punitive damages in future cases.

IPTAB Proposes Reform of Invalidation Trial System to Strengthen Reliability and Legal Stability of Patent Rights

The Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board (IPTAB), under the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), is actively pursuing legislative revisions to improve the invalidation trial system with the main focus on introducing a preliminary notice of invalidation decision and strengthening trial procedures. These improvements aim to maintain high-quality patents and enhance the stability of patent rights at the trial stage.

IPTAB Pushes Forward with Trial-Mediation Linkage Procedure

The Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board (IPTAB) has recently announced the active promotion of a trial-mediation linkage procedure, which allows disputes to be resolved through mutual agreement between at the trial stage.

Tracking Korea’s Industrial Shifts and Corporate Strategies through Trademark Big Data: Insights from the Korean Intellectual Property Office

The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) recently published an analytical report based on approximately 2.3 million trademark filings accumulated over the past decade (2015–2024). The report provides insights into industry-specific trademark filing trends, shifts in sectoral dynamics, and correlations with broader economic indicators. The findings suggest that trademark big data can serve not only as a tool for IP management but also as a strategic resource for identifying macro-level industrial changes and informing corporate strategies.