May 03, 2012

2012 First Quarterly IPR Trends

◎ This trend data is based on intellectual property rights statistics collected from the first quarter of
2012 up to April 2, 2012 (based on pending date and tentative value).
- Actual values may differ from statistics of the time of calculation due to reasons such as withdrawals
and waivers.
- Accumulated statistics were also calculated simultaneously.
◎ For trademark applications, only new applications were considered.
◎ The rate of increase is based on the same period of the previous year.


□ Application Trends

o The total number of IP rights applications during the first quarter of 2012 amounted to 94,939, a
17.4 percent rise year-on-year.
By type of rights, patents increased by 11.1 percent, trademarks by 28.3 percent, and designs by 16.9
percent.
※Utility models are continuously decreasing due to the abolition of the first-to-register system and
double application system (▽ dropped by 3.1 percent).

o By nationality, Korean and foreign applicants increased by 19.2 percent and 8.5 percent,
respectively.
- In the case of patents, applications by Koreans and foreigners increased by 11.6 percent and 9.5
percent, respectively.
- By region, Jeju recorded the highest increase at 45.2 percent followed by Ulsan at 42.1 percent.
- By country, China recorded the highest increase at 29.2 percent followed by Italy at 24.8 percent.

o By type of applicants, conglomerates and SMEs (small and midsized companies) increased by 16.4
percent and 19.0 percent, respectively, and research institutes and Korean applicants increased by
32.2 percent and 21.8 percent, respectively.
- Applicants with the most striking rate of increase in the first quarter were Hyundai Heavy Industries
in the area of patents and utility models, Kyowon in trademarks, and Younglim Forestry in designs.


□ Registration Trends

o The total number of registrations in the first quarter of 2012 amounted to 63,246, a 34.0 percent
increase year-on-year.
- By type of rights, patents increased by 40.3 percent, utility models by 30.5 percent, trademarks by
44.9 percent, and designs by 5.1 percent.

o By nationality, registrations by Koreans and foreigners increased by 29.7 percent and 51.8 percent,
respectively.
- By region, North Jeolla Province and Jeju recorded the highest increases at 69.6 percent and 62.2
percent, respectively.
- By country, Taiwan increased by 84.7 percent followed by Finland at 50.0 percent.

o By IP rights holders, conglomerates increased by 21.8 percent, SMEs by 24.0 percent, public
organizations by 65.0 percent, and research institutes by 39.7 percent.
- Major rights holders in the first quarter were LG Chem and LG Innotek in the areas of patents and
utility models, KT in trademarks, and LG Innotek again in designs.


□ Examination and Trial Trends

o The number of requests for examination amounted to 35,328, a 0.5 percent decrease year-on-year.
- Requests for patent examination reached 33,048, a 0.4 percent increase year-on-year, while utility
models decreased by 12.5 percent year-on-year at 2,620.
- Requests for international searches under the PCT increased by 14.6 percent reaching 6,737, and
the number of processed international searches increased by 57.5 percent at 7,860.

o Requests for trials totaled 4,125, a 20.6 percent increase year-on-year, and those processed
increased by 5.8 percent at 4,253.
- By type of rights, the number of requests for patents and utility models increased by 14.8 percent at
2,837, trademarks by 30.7 percent at 1,111, and designs by 80.6 percent reaching 177.

The source of news : KIPO