We Are Committed to Providing Fast and Accurate Patent Examinations
The Use of Prior Patents in the Patent Examination Process Enhances Accuracy and KIPO is Increasing the Number of Examiners to Ensure Prompt Service.
[Press Report]
In a report by Maeil Business Newspaper on August 12 2024 titled “Small and Medium Enterprises Unable to Register Patents Despite Applications...Why?” it was pointed out that ❶the increased use of prior patents (prior art documents) in examinations is leading to more rejections which disadvantages small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and ❷that the shortage of examiners and issues with expertise are causing delays in the patent registration process.
[KIPOs Position]
The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) conducts examinations fairly based on the specifications submitted by applicants regardless of whether they are large corporations SMEs or individuals.
❶The increase in the use of prior art documents during the examination process reflects the patent examiners’ efforts to enhance the accuracy of patent examinations by consulting a wide range of documents*. This approach is not specific to any particular applicant group (such as SMEs) but is intended to provide high-quality examination results universally to all applicants.
In particular when prior art documents cited in the registered patent gazette are referenced during the examination process without finding grounds for rejection it indicates that the patent is less likely to be invalidated. Therefore an increase in such references enhances the stability of the granted patents benefiting the applicant.
❷Additionally KIPO has been steadily increasing the number of patent examiners to provide applicants with faster examination services.
Since last year KIPO has hired a total of 105 patent examiners including 67 semiconductor experts and 38 secondary battery experts. Next year KIPO plans to recruit additional patent examiners focusing on fields with rapidly increasing application volumes such as biotechnology robotics and artificial intelligence.
KIPO remains committed to securing highly skilled patent examiners to continue providing faster and more accurate patent examination results.
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