Region: South Korea

Supreme Court sets limits to ‘freedom to operate’ defence in design cases

Relying on the ‘freedom to operate’ defence based on a prior unprotected design is not possible if the owner of the asserted design successfully claims an exception to loss of novelty over the earlier-disclosed design.

02 June 2023

Can a well-known mark owner raise a consumer confusion claim against a good-faith prior user?

A recent amendment to the Unfair Competition Prevention and Trade Secret Protection Act introduces an exception for good-faith prior users against unfair competition claims.

24 May 2023

Asia filing activity at a glance: 2022 data reveals dramatic change

WTR delves into filing activity in Asia to discuss application trends and the top foreign filers of 2022.

10 May 2023

Korea poised to allow letters of consent for trademark co-existence

The adoption of the letter of consent system in Korea would bring substantial relief to trademark owners and practitioners.

24 April 2023

Five minutes with… NAVER

WTR goes behind the scenes with the IP protection team at Korean search portal NAVER.

19 April 2023

The development of China’s legal landscape offers clues to the future of foreign firms in India

This week’s Saturday opinion piece considers how foreign law firms could approach the Indian market now that it is opening up - with history elsewhere offering vital clues on what the landscape could look like.

15 April 2023

Korea Brand Fashion Association sets sights on fakes as legislators eye action

From detecting counterfeits online to a ‘FAKE NEVER’ campaign, the association will target open marketplaces in South Korea.

15 March 2023

Korea Customs Service publishes 2021 annual report on IP rights seizures

The report shows that the number of seizures has dropped significantly in recent years, from a total of 52,423 products seized in 2018 to only 29,190 products seized in 2021.

07 March 2023

Partial rejections and re-examination system now effective

The new systems are expected to make the registration process more convenient for applicants.

02 March 2023

WIPO urged to open South Korea branch; IPR Center joins forces with NFL; Coca-Cola scraps Lilt brand – news digest

In our latest round-up, we look at Gilead Sciences commending convictions in a counterfeiting case, Hasbro announcing a company-first licensee for adult games, and much more.

14 February 2023

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