South Korea launches digital IP administration system in Tunisia

South Korea's K-IP administrative system has been successfully integrated into Tunisia's industrial property public administration information system, marking a new step in digital intellectual property cooperation between the two countries.

The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), headed by Commissioner Kim Yong-seon, will hold an inauguration ceremony Wednesday at 10 a.m. local time in Tunis, together with the Tunisian Patent Office, to mark the launch of the Tunisia Industrial Property Public Administration Information System Improvement Project. The ceremony celebrates the opening of the digitally based IP administration system and the successful transfer of South Korea's advanced IP administration experience and digital technology to Tunisia.

On the Tunisian side, the acting minister of industry, energy and mines, the director general of the Tunisian Patent Office and relevant civil servants will attend. The South Korean delegation will include the South Korean ambassador to Tunisia, KIPO officials, the president of the Korea Institute of Patent Information — which built the system — and the head of KOICA's Tunisia office.

The project is the first public cooperation initiative between KOICA (Korea International Cooperation Agency) and the Korea Institute of Patent Information. It began in 2023 with an official development assistance budget of $3.73 million (about 4.2 billion won).

Through the project, the Tunisian Patent Office has established the infrastructure to process patent, trademark and design applications, searches and civil complaint handling electronically.

The newly built system will allow applicants and businesses to access intellectual property services conveniently online, while improving the speed and transparency of administrative processing and raising the overall quality of Tunisia's IP administration services.

The project is widely regarded as a leading example of digital public cooperation that extends South Korea's e-government and IP administration expertise across Africa. It is also expected to strengthen bilateral ties and lay the groundwork for expanding IP cooperation with the African region going forward.

Jeong Jae-hwan, director general of KIPO's IP Information Bureau, said the project "again demonstrates the excellence and reliability of the K-IP administration system" in supporting Tunisia's digital transformation of its IP administration. "We will continue to expand international cooperation in the intellectual property field, share Korea's digital administration experience with the world, and actively support the modernization of IP administration in partner countries," he added.