also started on 29 January 2010?

The Trilateral Offices (Japan Patent Office (JPO), European Patent Office (EPO) and US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)) have also launched a new PPH pilot programme, utilising PCT work products. For more details, see: http://www.epo.org/patents/law/legal-texts/journal/informationEPO/archive/20100125b.html

Here are some of the main statistics in it:

- applications for patents and utility models fell by 1.6 % and 1.8% respectively compared to the fourth quarter of 2008

- trademark applications were up by 11.1%

- Korean applications increased by 16.2% while non-Korean filings dropped by 11.2%

 - filings from Japan, the US and Germany were down 31.3%, 22.8% and 30.1% respectively over the corresponding period in 2008

- filings by IBM and InterDigital were up 260.3% and 37.1% over the previous quarter

- there was a 14.8% decrease in total IP right registrations

- requests for KIPO to conduct international PCT searches fell by 8.6%

- in December 2009, the examination period for patents and utility models increased by 3.3 months (to 15.8 months)

- the number of trial requests decreased by 27.5%

Source: KIPO website – Public Relations – News – " 2009 Fourth Quarterly IPR Trends"

On 1 October 2009, the Korean Patent Office (KIPO) launched its "super speed examination system" for green technology. The system is available for green technologies that minimise the discharge of pollutants, as well as those which have received funding or authentication for green growth. Applicants can apply for super speed examination by requesting a prior art search from one of three agencies authorised to conduct such searches on behalf of KIPO (the Korea Institute of Patent Information (KIPI), WIPS Co. Ltd. or IP Solution Co. Ltd.) and submitting the results of the search to KIPO.

Details of the application procedure for super speed examination and the documents required, etc. are posted on KIPO's website in the News section (article no. 688, published on 2 October 2009): http://www.kipo.go.kr

The annual report contains the latest figures on applications and granted patents, designs, trade marks and geographical indications in Korea and can be downloaded here: http://www.kipo.go.kr/en/ (click on "Annual Reports").

On 4 August 2009, the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) presented its plan to develop "G-KIPOnet", the third generation of the KIPOnet system, by 2012. G stands for both "green" and "global", reflecting the two central tenets of the new system: to promote green industries and to foster international co-operation among the patent offices, including better exchange of patent information and closer co-operation during the examination process. Furthermore, G-KIPOnet will also include a variety of new functions for companies and other private users, such as statistics and various tools to make IP-related research faster and easier.

Source: KIPO News (660) of 19 August 2009 and KIPO press release of 04 August 2009 (Korean only).

In January 2009, the Korean Patent Office (KIPO) introduced a new service which provides assistance to applicants in real time. The system has been designed for applicants - including individual inventors, students and SMEs - who cannot afford a patent agent. Instead, they can now contact a call-centre expert to help them prepare and submit their online patent application via the KIPOnet electronic filing system. The service is available to Korean residents only; foreign applicants will still need to go via a patent agent. Assistance is currently provided in Korean only. 

More information on this new service can be found in the news section on KIPRIS at http://eng.kipris.or.kr/eng/news.do?act=list.

The changes will become effective as of 1 July 2009 and concern a number of areas, such as the submission of amendments, the filing of divisional applications and the correction of obvious errors by KIPO examiners on behalf of applicants. In addition, the regulations for late payment of fees have been changed: the later the payment is made, the higher the late fee will be in proportion. 

For further information on the changes to the Korean Patent Act on KIPO's website (in Korean only) click here.

Previously, applicants could file unlimited requests for monthly extensions of the two month time period for responding to office actions in Korea. These extensions have now been limited to four months, i.e. a total time of six months from receipt of KIPO's first office action. If applicants request further extensions, they have to give justifiable reasons. No extension will be granted where the request for examination was filed by a third party. The new rules apply to office actions issued on or after 1 July 2008.

For more information see   http://www.nampat.co.kr/english/information/view01.asp?regdate=2008-06-12%2013:25:42&num=qzEOa1yrnnb3&page=&pageSize=&table=tb_board15. or http://www.managingip.com/Article/2004289/Korea---KIPO-introduces-newpatent-rules.html

Machine translation experts from the EPO, SIPO, KIPO, WIPO and Japio joined forces at a seminar in Beijing on 4 November 2008 to discuss the future of machine translation in patent documentation.

Further details are available at http://www.sipo.gov.cn/sipo_English/specialtopic/latestspecialtopic/ESJISAMT/programme/200809/t20080911_417872.htm

KIPO's new fast-track system applies to all kinds of industrial property rights and allows the applicant to speed up examination and get a decision within two to three months. The new system is in force as of October 2008. The fast-track option is only available if the applicant submits a prior art search report from one of four designated organisations approved by KIPO (KIPI, WIPS, the Korea IP Protection Technology Institute or IP Solution). KIPO is also making deferred examination more flexible by allowing applicants to specify when they want examination to start. This can be any time between 18 months and five years (three years for utility models) from the filing date. Requests for delayed examination can be withdrawn or the time limit changed within two months from filing the request. See: www.managingip.com/Popups/PrintArticle.aspx?ArticleID=1964494&issueID=&categoryID   

are available from KIPO? These new English versions of all industrial property laws in Korea reflect the 2007 amendments and are available for download (in PDF format) at http://www.kipo.go.kr/kpo/eng/?catmenu=KIPOENG

Click on "Reference material" in the menu at the top of the page, then on "IP laws and treaties".