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Dr. Idris Lauds Emergence of the Republic of Korea as a Major User of the International Intellectual Property System

Geneva, March 16, 2006
Press Releases PR/2006/441

The Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), Dr. Kamil Idris, in an official visit to the Republic of Korea on March 15 and 16, 2006, congratulated top officials on the country's use of the intellectual property (IP) system as a strategic tool for development and wealth creation. In an intensive round of high-level meetings, Dr. Idris addressed a number of bilateral matters including the emergence of the Republic of Korea as a major user of the international patent system and applauded Seoul's commitment to the promotion and protection of IP rights.

During these discussions, Dr. Idris said that this commitment was serving the interests of the country, and its people and had led to the emergence of the Republic of Korea as a leading country in the strategic use of IP to promote economic goals. Dr. Idris said Seoul's policy of promoting innovation-based development is a model for other developing countries. In the 1960s, the country's per capita income was among the lowest in the developing world, but thanks to the implementation of a strategic IP plan, accompanied by sustained investment in research and development (R&D) education and industrial infrastructure, the Republic of Korea, is today an industrial and technological powerhouse in the global economy.

Dr. Idris said that this approach had enabled the Republic of Korea to become the sixth biggest filer of international patent applications under WIPO's Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT). The PCT is the cornerstone of the international patent system which offers a rapid, flexible and cost-effective way to obtain patent protection in up to 128 countries. Use of the PCT system by the Republic of Korea in 2005 grew by 33.6%, far exceeding the average growth rate per member country of 9.4% for that year.

The Director General met with senior Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) officials and Commissioner Mr. Sang-Woo Jun. Dr. Idris underlined the importance of the Republic of Korea as a major user of WIPO's global protection systems. He said this was an encouraging and positive trend which he expected would continue. The Director General also commended the Republic of Korea for its generosity in establishing a Funds-in-Trust (FIT) arrangement with WIPO with a view to funding IP development projects in developing countries in all regions. Since 2004, KIPO has donated over 1.7 million Swiss francs to this program. This has enabled WIPO to undertake a wide range of activities to strengthen and modernize the IP systems of many developing countries.

The Director General participated in a ceremony to mark the designation of the International Intellectual Property Training Institute (IIPTI) as a WIPO Partner Institute. The designation of IIPTI as such is in recognition of the Institute's exemplary leadership in the training of intellectual property professionals at the national and international levels. The recognition, the first of its kind, acknowledges the IIPTI as a center of excellence and paves the way for enhanced collaboration with WIPO.

In talks with the Minister of Culture and Tourism (MCT), Mr. Dong-Chea Chung, the Director General underlined the important contribution made by the Ministry, through a new FIT arrangement, to the development of copyright systems in developing countries, particularly in Asia. Under the agreement the Government of Korea, through the MCT, is committed to providing WIPO with a sum of 800 million Korean won (approximately 1 million Swiss Francs) over a two-year period beginning July 1, 2006. The funds will enable WIPO to provide much needed extra budgetary resources to assist developing countries in Asia and the Pacific in strengthening their copyright systems in support of their artists, creators and creative industries. This in turn will contribute to the cultural, social and economic goals of the beneficiary nations.

Dr. Idris also met with the Vice Minister of Commerce, Industry and Energy, Mr. Jong-Kap Kim, who, as a former KIPO Commissioner (from September 2004 to January 2006), actively promoted the implementation of IP policies in the Republic of Korea to boost national development through improved industrial competitiveness, enhanced distribution and service industries, expansion of e-commerce and industrial automation. WIPO programs and activities that are relevant to a number of areas under the Vice Minister's current responsibilities were discussed.

In discussions with the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Mr. Kyu-Hyung Lee, who oversees the country's foreign policies with international organizations, Dr. Idris referred, in particular, to the existing excellent diplomatic relations between WIPO and the Government of Republic of Korea and pledged WIPO's continued support of Seoul's IP development programs.

In a meeting with the President of Korean Patent Attorneys Association (KPAA), Mr. Kwang-Koo Ahn, Dr. Idris expressed WIPO's interest in fostering closer relations with the KPAA. He said that the KPAA and its members could significantly contribute to WIPO's technical cooperation activities in the region by sharing their legal expertise and experience, both in the use of WIPO's global protection services and in the development of national IP legislation.

Dr. Idris met with representatives of companies that make up the top users of the PCT and Madrid system concerning the international registration of marks and innovation and business promotion institutions in the Republic of Korea. Dr. Idris observed that PCT filings from the Republic of Korea have increased at a remarkable pace, and that the country was also deriving benefits under the Madrid Protocol, one of the two treaties that govern the international trademark registration system. This, he said reflected the growing importance of IP protection in Korean corporate strategies, and the increasing competitiveness of Korean companies in export markets. The use of IP by small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to enhance their competitiveness was also a focus of discussions.

For further information, please contact the Media Relations and Public Affairs Section at WIPO:

  • Tel: (+41 22) 338 81 61 or (+41 22) 338 95 47;
  • E-mail: publicinf@wipo.int
  • Fax: (+41 22) 338 82 80.
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