National
Entry Period for PCT Applications Simplified
to 30 Months
From
12 March 2003, the time limits for entering
into the national phase of PCT international
applications in Korea will be extended to
comply with amended PCT Article 22. The time
limits will be extended to 30 months after
the priority date regardless of any international
preliminary examination. However, the previous
regulations apply to international applications
if the 20-month time limit expires on or before
11 March 2003.
The number of
business method (BM) applications in 2002
reached 4,239, a decrease of 29% over the
previous year due to the latest depression
and a decrease of venture start-ups.
The e-commerce related patent applications
filed in the first half of 2002 can be broken
down into several main groups: Shopping mall
and business systems (556 cases), financial
services (369), issuance of a lottery and
gift certificates (352), educational, medical
and environmental management (300), information
searches (253), games (172), auction and purchase
agent businesses (268), advertisements and
public relations (187), goods, equipment management
and delivery services.
The number of BM applications by domestic
applicants in 2002 was 3,616, down from the
5,388 in the previous year. However, the number
by foreign applicants was 623, slightly more
than the 574 in the previous year.
The number of BM applications by legal entities
was 2,494, representing 59% of the total 4,239
applications; personal applications totaled
1,745. In the case of legal entities, applications
by venture companies held a large majority;
in the case of the personal applications,
representatives of small-sized venture companies
that were not registered as businesses were
in the majority.
The number of
IPR applications for patents, utility models,
industrial designs and trademarks filed at
KIPO in 2002 reached 290,086, an increase
of 0.2% over the 289,420 applications in 2001.
The number of applications by domestic applicants
in 2002 was 240,686, an increase of 2.2% over
the 235,585 applications in 2001. The number
of patent applications by domestic applicants,
which is increasing, was 76,559 in 2002, an
increase of 3.9% over the 73,714 in 2001.
The number of applications by foreigners in
2002 was 49,400, an 8.2% decrease over the
previous year. However the number of applications
by foreigners for utility models and industrial
designs is increasing.
2003. 3
