The Korean IP Office (KIPO) recently introduced revisions to certain official fees, with effect as of August 1, 2023. A summary of the revisions is below.

PATENTS/ Reduction of registration fees for patents: Registration fees for patents have been reduced (by 10% on average). This includes both annual basic fees and annual additional fees for each claim.

PATENTS/ Increase in examination fees for patents: The fees for requests for examination for patents have been increased (by 16 percent on average; basic fee and additional fee per claim).

PATENTS/ Increase in divisional application fees (introduction of progressive fee system): A progressive fee system has been introduced for divisional applications, in which the official fee progressively increases with the number of divisional applications. Previously, the fee remained constant regardless of the number of divisional applications made.

TRADEMARKS/ Reduction in threshold number of designated goods subject to additional charge (20 items → 10 items): Previously, if the number of goods in any class was in excess of 20 items, an additional fee of KRW2,000 was charged per excess item. The revision reduces this threshold number of goods: an additional charge is now applied per item in excess of 10 items in any class.

TRADEMARKS/ Reduction of application, registration, renewal fees: Trademark application, registration and renewal fees have been uniformly reduced by KRW 10,000.

OTHER REVISIONS/ Revision to fees for recordation of transfer of rights: uniform for each type of right: Previously, fees for recordation of transfer were different for patents, utility models designs, and trademarks. The revision introduces a uniform rate of KRW 40,000 for each type of right.