Lee International

The Ministry of Intellectual Property (MOIP) announced that the number of patent applications filed in Korea reached 260,000 in 2025, marking the highest annual total in the country’s history. This milestone was achieved 12 years after annual patent filings first surpassed 200,000 in 2013. Korea is the fourth country in the world to record over 260,000 annual patent applications, following Japan (1984), the United States (1999), and China (2008). Having ranked fourth globally in patent filings in 2024, behind China, the United States, and Japan, Korea is expected to maintain its position as the world’s fourth-largest patent filing jurisdiction in 2025.

Among the top 10 industries by domestic patent filings in 2025, information and communication technology (ICT)-related sectors, including artificial intelligence and quantum technology, recorded particularly strong growth. Patent applications in the categories of “computer programming, system integration and management” and “computer manufacturing,” reproduced below, totaled 27,033 filings, representing a 21.1% increase compared with the previous year. The secondary battery sector also experienced significant growth, with patent applications increasing by 14.4% year-on-year to 10,624 filings. This growth was driven primarily by large corporations, including Korea’s three leading battery manufacturers, LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, and SK On, which continued to expand their patenting activities in the sector.

 

The 2025 patent application statistics discussed above suggest that Korea is further solidifying its position as a global hub for advanced technological innovation.  In particular, the concentration of patent filings in advanced technology sectors such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and secondary batteries indicates that Korea is increasingly serving as both a testing ground and a key jurisdiction for intellectual property protection of cutting-edge technologies.  Korea is therefore expected to become an even more attractive destination for global companies seeking to protect innovative technologies and strengthen their business competitiveness through stable and reliable IP rights.