WIPO Lex, Member Profile, Democratic People's Republic of Korea

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Main IP Laws (5 texts)

Title	Version	Dates	Subject Matter
Law on Inventions of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (amended up to Decree No. 507 of 2021 of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly)	2021	Amended up to : January 20, 2021 Adopted : May 13, 1998	Patents (Inventions) Utility Models
Law on Industrial Designs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (amended up to Decree No. 2052 of 2011 of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly)	2011	Amended up to : December 21, 2011 Adopted : June 3, 1998	Industrial Designs
Law on Trademarks of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (amended up to Decree No. 2052 of 2011 of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly)	2011	Amended up to : December 21, 2011 Adopted : January 14, 1998	Trademarks
Law on Copyright of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (amended up to Decree No. 1532 of 2006 of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly)	2006	Amended up to : February 1, 2006 Adopted : March 21, 2001	Copyright and Related Rights (Neighboring Rights)
Law on Appellations of Origin of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea	2003	Adopted : August 27, 2003	Geographical Indications

Title

Version

Dates

Subject Matter

Law on Inventions of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (amended up to Decree No. 507 of 2021 of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly)

2021

Amended up to :

January 20, 2021

Adopted :

May 13, 1998

Patents (Inventions)

Utility Models

Law on Industrial Designs of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (amended up to Decree No. 2052 of 2011 of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly)

2011

Amended up to :

December 21, 2011

Adopted :

June 3, 1998

Industrial Designs

Law on Trademarks of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (amended up to Decree No. 2052 of 2011 of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly)

2011

Amended up to :

December 21, 2011

Adopted :

January 14, 1998

Trademarks

Law on Copyright of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (amended up to Decree No. 1532 of 2006 of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly)

2006

Amended up to :

February 1, 2006

Adopted :

March 21, 2001

Law on Appellations of Origin of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

2003

Adopted :

August 27, 2003

Geographical Indications

Laws/Regulations (19 texts)

Type of Text	Title	Version	Dates	Subject Matter
IP-related Laws	Law on the Protection of Computer Software of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea	2003	Adopted : June 11, 2003	Copyright and Related Rights (Neighboring Rights)
Framework Laws	Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea	2019	Amended up to : August 29, 2019 Adopted : December 27, 1972	Other
Framework Laws	Criminal Code (as amended up to April 2009)	2009	Adopted : March 3, 1950	Enforcement of IP and Related Laws
Framework Laws	Law on Administrative Penalties of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (as amended up to Decree No. 2712 of May 20, 2008, of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly)	2008	Adopted : July 14, 2004	Enforcement of IP and Related Laws Other
Framework Laws	Code of Criminal Procedures (as amended up to Decree No. 2035 of October 18, 2006, of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly)	2006	Adopted : March 3, 1950	Enforcement of IP and Related Laws Other
Framework Laws	Law on External Economic Arbitration of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (approved by Decree No. 875 of July 21, 1999, of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, and approved by Ordinance No. 5 of April 6, 2000, of the Supreme People's Assembly)	2000	Adopted : July 21, 1999	Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Other
Framework Laws	Law on External Civil Relations of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (as amended by Decree No. 251 of December 10, 1998, of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly)	1998	Adopted : September 6, 1995	Enforcement of IP and Related Laws Other
Other Texts	Law on Contractual Joint Venture of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (as amended up to Decree No. 1992 of November 29, 2011, of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly)	2011	Adopted : October 5, 1992	Other
Other Texts	Law on Equity Joint Venture of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (as amended up to Decree No. 1993 of November 29, 2011, of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly)	2011	Adopted : September 8, 1984	Other
Other Texts	Law on Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprises of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (as amended up to Decree No. 1994 of November 29, 2011, of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly)	2011	Entry into force : October 5, 1992 Adopted : October 5, 1992	Other
Other Texts	Law on Rules Governing the Place of Origin for Exported Goods (approved by Decree No. 446 of November 25, 2009, of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly)	2009	Adopted : November 25, 2009	Geographical Indications Enforcement of IP and Related Laws IP Regulatory Body
Other Texts	Regulations for the Implementation of the Law on Equity Joint Venture (as amended up to Decision No. 4 of January 17, 2005, of the Cabinet)	2005	Adopted : March 11, 2000	Transfer of Technology Other
Other Texts	Regulations for the Implementation of the Law on Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprises (as amended up to Decision No. 22 of August 1, 2005, of the Cabinet)	2005	Adopted : October 27, 2000	Other
Other Texts	Law on Software Industry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (approved by Decree No. 533 of June 30, 2004, of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly)	2004	Adopted : June 30, 2004	Trademarks Copyright and Related Rights (Neighboring Rights) Enforcement of IP and Related Laws IP Regulatory Body Other
Other Texts	Regulations for the Implementation of the Law on Contractual Joint Venture (approved by Decision No. 57 of December 28, 2004, of the Cabinet)	2004	Adopted : March 11, 2000	Other
Other Texts	Law on Foreign-Invested Business and Foreign Individual Tax of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (as amended up to Decree No. 3400 of November 7, 2002, of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly)	2002	Adopted : January 31, 1993	Other
Other Texts	Regulations for the Implementation of the Law on Foreign-Invested Business and Foreign Individual Tax (as amended by Decision No. 88 of December 26, 2002, of the Cabinet)	2002	Adopted : June 14, 2002	Other
Other Texts	Law on Telecommunications (amended by Decree No. 2593 of September 27, 2001, of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly)	2001	Adopted : February 5, 1997	Copyright and Related Rights (Neighboring Rights) Other
Other Texts	Law on Foreign Investment of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (as amended by Decree No. 484 of February 26, 1999, of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly)	1999	Entry into force : October 5, 1992 Adopted : October 5, 1992	Other

Type of Text

Title

Version

Dates

Subject Matter

2003

Adopted :

June 11, 2003

Framework Laws

Socialist Constitution of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

2019

Amended up to :

August 29, 2019

Adopted :

December 27, 1972

Other

Framework Laws

Criminal Code (as amended up to April 2009)

2009

Adopted :

March 3, 1950

Enforcement of IP and Related Laws

Framework Laws

Law on Administrative Penalties of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (as amended up to Decree No. 2712 of May 20, 2008, of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly)

2008

Adopted :

July 14, 2004

Enforcement of IP and Related Laws

Other

Framework Laws

Code of Criminal Procedures (as amended up to Decree No. 2035 of October 18, 2006, of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly)

2006

Adopted :

March 3, 1950

Enforcement of IP and Related Laws

Other

Framework Laws

Law on External Economic Arbitration of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (approved by Decree No. 875 of July 21, 1999, of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly, and approved by Ordinance No. 5 of April 6, 2000, of the Supreme People's Assembly)

2000

Adopted :

July 21, 1999

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)

Other

Framework Laws

Law on External Civil Relations of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (as amended by Decree No. 251 of December 10, 1998, of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly)

1998

Adopted :

September 6, 1995

Enforcement of IP and Related Laws

Other

Other Texts

Law on Contractual Joint Venture of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (as amended up to Decree No. 1992 of November 29, 2011, of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly)

2011

Adopted :

October 5, 1992

Other

Other Texts

Law on Equity Joint Venture of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (as amended up to Decree No. 1993 of November 29, 2011, of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly)

2011

Adopted :

September 8, 1984

Other

Other Texts

Law on Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprises of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (as amended up to Decree No. 1994 of November 29, 2011, of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly)

2011

Entry into force :

October 5, 1992

Adopted :

October 5, 1992

Other

Other Texts

Law on Rules Governing the Place of Origin for Exported Goods (approved by Decree No. 446 of November 25, 2009, of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly)

2009

Adopted :

November 25, 2009

Geographical Indications

Enforcement of IP and Related Laws

IP Regulatory Body

Other Texts

Regulations for the Implementation of the Law on Equity Joint Venture (as amended up to Decision No. 4 of January 17, 2005, of the Cabinet)

2005

Adopted :

March 11, 2000

Transfer of Technology

Other

Other Texts

Regulations for the Implementation of the Law on Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprises (as amended up to Decision No. 22 of August 1, 2005, of the Cabinet)

2005

Adopted :

October 27, 2000

Other

Other Texts

Law on Software Industry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (approved by Decree No. 533 of June 30, 2004, of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly)

2004

Adopted :

June 30, 2004

Trademarks

Enforcement of IP and Related Laws

IP Regulatory Body

Other

Other Texts

Regulations for the Implementation of the Law on Contractual Joint Venture (approved by Decision No. 57 of December 28, 2004, of the Cabinet)

2004

Adopted :

March 11, 2000

Other

Other Texts

Law on Foreign-Invested Business and Foreign Individual Tax of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (as amended up to Decree No. 3400 of November 7, 2002, of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly)

2002

Adopted :

January 31, 1993

Other

Other Texts

Regulations for the Implementation of the Law on Foreign-Invested Business and Foreign Individual Tax (as amended by Decision No. 88 of December 26, 2002, of the Cabinet)

2002

Adopted :

June 14, 2002

Other

Other Texts

Law on Telecommunications (amended by Decree No. 2593 of September 27, 2001, of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly)

2001

Adopted :

February 5, 1997

Other

Other Texts

Law on Foreign Investment of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (as amended by Decree No. 484 of February 26, 1999, of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly)

1999

Entry into force :

October 5, 1992

Adopted :

October 5, 1992

Other

Democratic People's Republic of Korea

(24 texts)

Main IP Laws (5 texts)

Laws/Regulations (19 texts)