The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO: Commissioner: SangWoo JUN) has conducted the fastest patent trial in the world. According to the KIPO, the average period for processing a patent trial was fourteen months in 2003 but is expected to be shortened to six months, which is half or less than the previous trial time, in the four years after 2003.
This period for processing a patent trial in the Republic of Korea is shorter than the seven or eight months in Japan (based on 2006) and is equal to the six months in the U.S.A. with the shortest period of processing a patent trial in the world. Consequently, the Republic of Korea ranks with an advance country with respect to the period for processing a patent trial.
Having realized the fastest period for processing the patent examination in the world at the end of the last year, the KIPO can keep the promptness at the top world level in the processing of a patent trial.
In the keen technological competition era, faster settlement of a patent dispute is an indispensable condition for strengthening company competitiveness. Nevertheless, as the number of petitions for trial has rapidly increased every year, the period for processing a patent trial has been difficultly shortened.
To shorten the period for processing a patent trial, the KIPO supplemented the number of trial examiners by twice or more for two years, increasing the number of trial examiners from 49 in 2005 to 79 in 2006 and to 99 in 2007.
The KIPO further efficiently improved various processes and systems which had hindered the period for processing a patent trial from being shortened.
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