South Korea, WIPO sign MOU to strengthen global patent assignment cooperation

IP Commissioner Kim Yong-sun held bilateral talks with WIPO Director General Daren Tang on Monday (local time) to discuss ways to expand substantive cooperation between South Korea and WIPO.

The two sides signed an MOU to strengthen cooperation on a global assignment system — a mechanism that would allow rights holders to complete patent assignment procedures in multiple countries through a single application — responding to strong demand from industry. They also agreed to pursue follow-up measures, including feasibility reviews on institutional, technical and operational aspects and the development of a pilot platform.

Kim stressed the need to strengthen support for Patent Cooperation Treaty users to improve the convenience of international filings for Korean companies and applicants, and discussed ways to expand tailored assistance for Korean users. The two sides also discussed cooperation on intellectual property protection in the era of AI transformation, capacity-building for developing countries through the WIPO Korea Trust Fund, and a Korea-WIPO personnel exchange program. Kim also asked the director general to take an interest in and support the advancement of senior-level Korean officials within WIPO.

South Korea also agreed to actively share its experience in helping WIPO and its member states find solutions to major global challenges, including AI and intellectual property, digital enforcement, IP finance, technology commercialization and workforce development.

Kim also attended a ministerial policy dialogue chaired by the WIPO director general at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland, on the same day. This year's dialogue was held under the theme "Bridge Builder: Innovation and Creativity Driving Future Society," with ministers and vice ministers responsible for intellectual property from about 40 countries in attendance.

At the event, Kim said that "just as sports is combining with advanced technology, content, brands and design to create new industrial and cultural value, intellectual property must become the core foundation that connects innovation and creativity to markets and investment, and expands that connection through international cooperation."

He added that "as the intellectual property landscape is rapidly changing with AI and digital transformation, WIPO member states must work together and join forces to develop intellectual property into a genuine bridge driving inclusive innovative growth in the society of the future."

Meanwhile, Kim delivered a keynote address at the 68th WIPO General Assembly held at WIPO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday, presenting a vision for "IP-based global inclusive growth."

Kim emphasized that "intellectual property is no longer merely a means of protecting the results of innovation, but is emerging as a strategic asset that determines industrial competitiveness and the future of nations." He added that the IP Commissioner's Office, launched in October last year, "will go beyond its traditional role centered on examination and registration to comprehensively oversee and coordinate national intellectual property policy, and strengthen support across the entire process by which research and development outcomes lead to rights registration, investment and commercialization."