Easily Track Overseas Counterfeiting of K-Brands with New Online Tool!

Starting August 12 (Monday) the K-Brand Protection Website which allows businesses to monitor the distribution of counterfeit goods bearing their overseas K-brands will be fully operational.

The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) led by Commissioner Kim Wan-ki announced the launch of a newly enhanced version of the K-Brand Protection Website. The site originally designed to help businesses prevent unauthorized trademark use abroad has been upgraded to better serve its purpose.

Since 2022 the K-Brand Protection Website has provided information on the protection of K-brands (trademarks). However feedback from businesses highlighted the need for improved data visualization and search capabilities. In response KIPO has made significant upgrades including:

Visualizing Information on Counterfeit Goods Distribution by Country and Online Platform: Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) often struggle to combat counterfeit goods due to a lack of dedicated personnel high costs insufficient information and language barriers. The new visualization tools on the website will help these companies easily identify where counterfeit goods are being distributed categorized by country and online platform.

Introducing a New Search Function for Suspected Trademark Infringements: The website now features a search function that allows companies to directly check for potential unauthorized use of their trademarks. This new tool is expected to improve the efficiency and convenience of accessing this information enabling companies to monitor and respond to infringement more proactively.

Since 2017 KIPO has been monitoring suspected unauthorized trademark use starting in China and expanding to other regions including Southeast Asia. However delivering this information to companies via mail or email has encountered issues such as changes in company contacts or addresses. The new website function addresses these challenges by providing a more accessible and reliable way for companies to access this critical information.

Jung In-sik Director General of KIPO’s Industrial Property Protection Cooperation Bureau emphasized the importance of this initiative stating As global demand for K-brands continues to grow it is crucial to provide companies with real-time information to help them proactively manage and protect their trademarks. We will continue to enhance the website’s functionality to support companies convenience and their ability to respond independently.

For more information about the K-Brand Protection Website (https://ip-navi.or.kr/kbrands) companies can contact the K-Brand Protection Office at the Korea Intellectual Property Protection Agency (☎ 02-6196-2055).

Website: : http://www.wip-news.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=24599