KIPO Makes Agreement to Launch Patent Prosecution Highway with IP5

Beginning next year, obtaining patents in the US, China, Japan, and the EU will be much faster.

KIPO announced on September 24 that KIPO Commissioner Young-min Kim made agreement to implement the IP5-PPH for accelerating the patent examination procedure among the five largest intellectual property offices (IP5) while attending the 51st World Intellectual Property Organization in Geneva. 

As such, beginning in January 2014, Korean citizens and businesses applying for patents in relevant regions can obtain patents faster and more conveniently.

Under the PPH, patent claims that have been found to be patentable by one office can get accelerated processing pending in other IP5 offices.

Europe is the third largest destination for Korean patent applications, following the US and China. However, there has not been a separate agreement for a patent prosecution highway between Korea and the EPO, making it difficult for fast processing of patent applications.

With the execution of IP5-PPH, KIPO can expect to decrease its pileup of patent examinations and shorten the pending period.

Commissioner Young-min Kim will meet individually with representatives from intellectual offices in Sweden, Spain, Israel, and Portugal, which are major destinations for Korean patent applications. He will continue to seek agreement of the bilateral PPH and Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT)-PPH.