Korea ranks second in patent growth for solid-state batteries and reusable rockets

South Korea posted the world's second-fastest growth in patent filings for solid-state batteries and reusable space launch vehicles over the past decade, the Korea Intellectual Property Office said, citing an analysis of applications in five major markets.

Solid-state battery applications from Korea grew at a compound annual rate of 29.5 percent between 2015 and 2024, trailing only China's 42.4 percent and outpacing Japan at 13.2 percent and the United States at 11.1 percent, according to the October edition of the office's Global Technology Trends and Patents report. Korean applicants filed 2,631 such patents over the period, the third-largest cumulative total behind China with 4,447 and Japan with 3,691, and ahead of the United States with 1,022.

Korean companies dominated the list of top filers. Samsung SDI ranked second worldwide with 712 applications and LG Energy Solution third with 525, while Samsung Electronics placed fifth with 327 and Hyundai Motor sixth with 284. Toyota of Japan led with 1,996. Korea's share of overseas filings reached 63.8 percent, compared with 75.3 percent for the United States and 65.6 percent for Japan, while China's stood at 5.7 percent.

Worldwide filings in the field rose from 340 in 2015 to 2,573 in 2024.

In reusable launch vehicles, Korea recorded the second-fastest growth at 21.3 percent a year, behind China's 32.1 percent and ahead of the United States at 13.7 percent. Korean applicants filed 235 patents over the decade, the fourth-largest total after China with 1,310, the United States with 618 and France with 414. The Korea Aerospace Research Institute was the world's second-largest filer with 121 applications, behind France's ArianeGroup with 448. Global filings in the sector grew about 2.6 times over the decade, from 166 to 433.

"Patent competitiveness in core technologies such as solid-state batteries is directly linked to future national industrial leadership," said Kim Il-kyu, director general of the office's intellectual property policy bureau. "We will provide patent analysis information to researchers in a timely manner so that Korea can continue its rapid patent growth and secure an edge in future markets."