Korea Intellectual Property Office shifts patent reviews toward applicants

The Korea Intellectual Property Office said it will shift patent examinations from a rejection-focused approach toward working with applicants to define appropriate protection for innovative technologies, after industry raised concerns that domestic examinations determine protection scopes more conservatively than overseas. Korea is the world's fourth-largest patent-filing country.

Guidelines on examination procedures and standards will be issued by year-end. Yang Jae-seok, the office's director general for patent examination planning, framed the shift as a change in examiners' role. "Examiners should move beyond simply deciding whether to grant patents and become partners who communicate with applicants to design appropriate protection scopes matching technological contributions," he said.

Starting in August, the office will launch the Patent-Strong Startup Development Program, bundling accelerated examinations, advance interviews and feedback on proposed amendments for young companies with promising technologies. On Aug. 21, it will introduce an applicant consultation process for those who disagree with an initial examination result, with a three-examiner panel reassessing the protection scope after a review request.

The office will also begin a satisfaction survey of registered-patent applicants later this year. Applicants will be able to provide feedback on whether a patent's protection scope reflected the value of the technology and whether they received sufficient explanation and communication during examination. The office said it will use the feedback to improve patent policy and examination practices.