Cutting-Edge Technologies Eligible for Accelerated Examination Are Expanded to Six Technical Fields Including Biotechnology, Advanced Robot and Artificial Intelligence Technology > Newsletter 2025

Cutting-Edge Technologies Eligible for Accelerated Examination Are Expanded to Six Technical Fields Including Biotechnology, Advanced Robot and Artificial Intelligence Technology

25-05-01

The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) announced that biotechnology, advanced robot and artificial intelligence technology have been newly designated as eligible for accelerated examination as of February 19, 2025. This follows an earlier inclusion of semiconductor, display technology and secondary battery. Additionally, the scope of accelerated examination for secondary battery technology has been expanded. Furthermore, KIPO has broadened the scope of accelerated examination for carbon-neutral green technologies to include the existing carbon dioxide capture technologies, as well as national strategic technologies, renewal energy technologies and related fields.

● Expansion of Cutting-Edge Technologies Eligible for Accelerated Examination

Accelerated examination is now available for patent applications directly related to biotechnology, advanced robot and artificial intelligence technologies. To qualify, these applications must be assigned the relevant Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) code, and they must be filed by a company domestically producing or preparing to produce products in these fields, or by a university specializing in such technologies. Alternatively, the application must result from a national R&D project.

Previously, accelerated examination for secondary battery-related patent applications was limited to secondary battery materials, parts, and equipment. However, the scope has now been expanded to include applications related to secondary battery manufacturing or design, performance testing and evaluation, control management (BMS) and recycling technologies.

● Expansion of Carbon-Neutral Green Technologies Eligible for Accelerated Examination

Previously, only technologies for capturing, transporting or storing carbon dioxide for greenhouse gas reduction were eligible for accelerated examination. However, the scope of eligible patent applications has been significantly expanded to cover all carbon-neutral green technologies. This now includes next-generation nuclear power technology, renewable energy technology and other related fields. Specifically, national strategic technologies such as hydrogen/ammonia, next-generation nuclear power technologies (e.g., small modular reactor (SMR), high-level radioactive waste management), advanced mobility technologies (e.g., electric vehicles, hydrogen-electric vehicles), and renewable energy production technologies (e.g., solar power, wind power, hydropower, marine energy, geothermal heat, water heat) have been newly added.

● Simplification of Requirements for Accelerated Examination

The previously mandatory requirement for conducting an individual prior art search, which posed a significant burden to applicants requesting accelerated examination, has been removed. In addition, the criteria for accelerated examination based on self-implementation have been relaxed. Now, applicants can submit documents such as an agreement on technology transfer or a certificate of business registration to demonstrate that they are currently implementing or preparing to implement the invention.

Patent applications related to cutting-edge technologies are eligible for accelerated examination only if the applicant is domestically producing or preparing to produce the corresponding products in Korea. As a result, foreign applicants without production facilities in Korea are generally restricted from requesting accelerated examination. However, for carbon-neutral green technologies, accelerated examination is available even if the applicant does not have production facilities in Korea, and it does not require an individually conducted prior art search. Therefore, foreign applicants with patent applications in the field of carbon-neutral green technologies may be able to expedite the acquisition of patent rights in Korea through accelerated examination, and subsequently leverage the PPH program to seek accelerated examination of their corresponding overseas applications. This approach can facilitate the early securing of a global patent portfolio.

Professionals

Jae-Gap KIM

Patent Attorney / Attorney at Law (IL)

Other News

KIPO Launches Dedicated Examination Team for Biotech and Healthcare-Related Technology | 2025-05-01