Korea Announces Plans to Accede to the Patent Law Treaty by 2029
On December 1, 2025, the Ministry of Intellectual Property (MOIP, formerly KIPO) of Korea announced its intention to pursue accession to the Patent Law Treaty (PLT) by 2029. If achieved, the Korean patent application procedures will become significantly more streamlined and aligned with international standards.
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Supreme Court Expands Taxable Korean-Source Income to Foreign Patent Royalties
The Korean Supreme Court has ruled that royalties paid for the use of U.S. patents not registered in Korea constitute Korean-source income under the Korea–U.S. Tax Treaty. This decision overturns 33 years of precedent holding that royalties paid for foreign patents not registered in Korea did not constitute Korean-source income based on the territoriality principle of patent rights.
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IP High Court Introduces New Procedural Requirements and Case Management Tools
To enhance the predictability and fairness of proceedings, the IP High Court conducted a comprehensive revision of the Rules on Procedure for Actions to Revoke IPTAB Decisions over a three-month period beginning in August 2025. In November 2025, the Court finalized and published the revised Rules.
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IP High Court Expands Online Participation for Foreign Parties
The Intellectual Property High Court (IPHC) has recently revised its procedures to broadly allow foreign parties residing abroad to participate in hearings online, not only in international cases but also in non-international cases. This marks a meaningful departure from prior practice, under which foreign parties often faced practical barriers to real-time participation due to geographic distance and language constraints.
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Lee International Prevails in Appealing of Final Rejection of CAR-T Cell Platform Technology Patent before the IP High Court and the Supreme Court
We recently secured a favorable outcome before the Intellectual Property High Court (IPHC) and the Supreme Court in an appeal challenging a decision of the Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board (IPTAB) that had denied the inventive step of a complex and highly sophisticated CAR-T cell–related platform technology invention. On August 21, 2025, the IPHC rendered a decision
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IP High Court Treats 30% Awareness Rate as Evidence of Source Identification
Under the Korean Trademark Act (KTA), a mark that is identical or similar to a trademark recognized by consumers as an indication of the source of a specific person or legal entity, whether in Korea or abroad, and that is filed in bad faith to obtain any unfair profit or to cause harm, cannot be registered (Article 34(1)(xiii) of the KTA). In the recent IP High Court decision
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Lee International IP & Law Leadership (Taehong KIM, Chief Managing Partner & Yoon Suk SHIN, Managing Partner) Named IAM Global Leaders
Taehong KIM, Chief Managing Partner, and Yoon Suk SHIN, Managing Partner, of Lee International IP & Law have been recognized as IAM Strategy Global Leaders 2026. IAM Strategy Global Leaders is a highly regarded directory that honors individuals worldwide for their exceptional strategic insight, leadership, and influence in the field of intellectual property. Each year, leading IP professionals from across the globe are selected through a rigorous evaluation process.
Read MoreInternational Comparative Legal Guides - Patents 2026 Korea Chapter Authored by Lee International IP & Law
The International Comparative Legal Guides - Patents 2026, published by Global Legal Group, has been officially released. The International Comparative Legal Guides (ICLG) is a globally recognized platform that delivers up-to-date comparative legal information, expert analysis, and legal news across a wide range of practice areas, presenting country-specific legal guidance in a clear Q&A format.
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Lee International IP & Law Recognized as Top-Tier Firm in Patents by Chambers and Partners 2026
Lee International IP & Law has once again demonstrated its international competitiveness in the intellectual property field by receiving outstanding recognition, particularly in the patent sector, in the Chambers Asia-Pacific 2026 Guide, published by the global legal ranking authority Chambers and Partners.
Read MoreLee International Ranked Tier 1 in IP (PATMA) by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2026
Lee International is proud to announce that we have once again been ranked Tier 1 in the IP (PATMA) category by The Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2026. Our firm's excellence has been further highlighted through individual recognitions:
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