Korea launches AI patent strategy council with 20 industry and research bodies

The Korea Intellectual Property Office said Thursday it has launched a public-private consultative body on artificial intelligence patents, bringing together about 20 companies, universities, research institutes and government agencies to coordinate responses to international AI patent disputes.

The K-AI Patent Strategy Council includes LG AI Research, Upstage, SK Telecom, KT and Kakao, along with the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute. It held its first meeting Thursday afternoon at the Science and Technology Center in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, where participants were briefed on a sovereign AI patent support program scheduled for 2027 and discussed ways to strengthen the patent competitiveness of Korean AI companies.

The office said the council was formed as international patent competition in AI foundation models intensifies, citing state-led sovereign AI programs in the United States and China and stronger AI patent cooperation among large US technology companies. The council plans to hold regular and ad hoc meetings to share international AI patent issues and seek joint responses, and will collect input from the field to develop policy and institutional improvements and business projects.

"As AI commercialization accelerates, securing core and applied patents in preparation for international patent disputes becomes more important," said Kim Il-kyu, director general of the office's intellectual property policy bureau. "The public and private sectors will cooperate as one team to actively support the strengthening of our companies' international AI patent competitiveness."