- Focusing mainly on electric, electronic, communication and clothing areas -


Using the one-time application system of trademarks for multinational registration, a process that allows applicants to register their trademarks in many countries simultaneously using a single document, foreign trademarks are increasingly advancing to Korea, increasing at a rate more than 30% every year. This type of multinational trademark registration focuses on electric, electronic, communication, and clothing areas.


According to KIPO (Commissioner: JUN, Sang Woo), the number of foreign applications filed in Korea reached 18,535 until this September, a period of 3 years of practicing the ‘Madrid System for the international registration of marks’, that came into effect on April, 2003. In 2003, when the system was first implemented, the number of applications was 1,558. The number drastically increased to 4,885 in 2004, and to 7,070 in 2005. The increase rate is expected to continue this year as well, reaching around 40%. As of end of September this year, 6,933 applications have already been registered.


Looking at the major applicant countries, Germany is most actively filing applications with 3,385 applications (18.3%), followed by America with 2,212 applications (11.9%), France with 1,988 applications (10.7%), Italy with 1,786 applications (9.6%), and Switzerland with 1,742 applications (9.4%). Looking at the major applicant companies, Deutsche Telecom of Germany has filed the most with 67 applications, followed by Philips Electronics of the Netherlands (63 applications), Unilever (39 applications), and Japan Tobacco (42 applications). Overall, European countries, including Germany, are actively registering their trademarks.


Among the products by these countries, most applications were related to scientific/electric/electronic/communication devices (4,286 applications, 11.4%). Also, 2,364 applications (6.3%) were related to clothing; 2,111 (5.6%) related to medicines/medical devices; and 2.042 (5.4%) related to cosmetics. With 1,763 applications, services related to scientific technology/legal consulting represent 4.7% of the overall applications.


The reason why foreign companies are targeting Korea for their international trademark registration is summarized below;

1. First, the Korean consumer market is reviving by the new demands from customers for the rapidly growing IT industry, such as IT devices and software. Thus, foreign companies are trying to exercise a marketing strategy to preoccupy trademarks in the large Korean market.

2. Second, European countries such as Germany are enjoying continuous economic growth 1) after their IT industry bubble burst in 2000. Their domestic consumption is coming back, and their export amount is increasing sufficiently to allow them to actively file for trademark registrations.

3. Third, the ‘Madrid System for the international registration of marks’, a process that allows the applicant to register trademarks in multiple countries using a single filing, supported the increase by providing convenience to the applicants, reducing related costs, and allowing the applicants know whether or not they will obtain the rights within a certain period (one year or 18 months).


To respond to the trend, domestic companies shall first diversify their strategy to develop and invest in export products targeted to foreign countries, based on the positive atmosphere of the world’s IT market and the export competitiveness of Korea. The companies shall also fully utilize the advantages of the ‘Madrid System for the international registration of marks’.

In today world’s market, foreign recognition of Korean companies is increasing, while the quality of Korean products is becoming more luxurious. Following this trend, designs/logos of illegal imitation products are becoming more sophisticated and cunning. To resolve the identity problem, it might be suggested that companies preoccupy trademarks in local countries where their products are exported.