[Full Text] New Year's Address by Park Won-joo, Commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office

Park Won-joo, Commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office. Photo by Korean Intellectual Property Office

Dear respected inventors, patent professionals, and entrepreneurs! The new year of Gyeongja (庚子年) has dawned. I wish happiness and health to fill the homes of all of you.

Despite the challenging conditions last year, including the global economic slowdown and Japan's export restrictions, thanks to your best efforts in intellectual property activities across various fields, it became a year that opened the door to revitalizing the intellectual property market. I extend my deep respect and gratitude for your hard work.

Currently, countries around the world are actively utilizing intellectual property to strengthen global dominance. The ongoing crises such as the US-China trade dispute and Japan's export restrictions are essentially a kind of technological hegemony struggle surrounding patented technologies. However, we have only now stood at the starting point of a market where intellectual property is recognized. From now on, having intellectual property alone should allow companies to grow with peace of mind and enable our companies to respond proactively in the fierce global battlefield. South Korea ranks seventh in the world in achieving 2 million patents, reflecting great interest and passion for intellectual property. We must run together on the path for our country to go beyond the Patent G7 and become a true Economic G7 through accumulated intellectual property.

There is a term called Decision, which combines 'Data' meaning information and 'Decision' meaning to decide, referring to data-driven decision-making. Based on patent big data analysis, I have named the process of determining the direction of technology development 'IP-Decision.' This year, we will greatly expand 'IP-Decision' to support acquiring technological competitiveness that leads the future. We will fully apply IP-R&D to core items in materials, parts, and equipment, and establish a 'National Patent Big Data Center' to support the fostering of strategic industries. Also, to apply 'IP-Decision' in examination and trial processes, we will achieve innovation in examination and trials through industry trend and patent analysis and communication with the industrial sector.

Last year, we took the first step toward revitalizing the intellectual property market; this year, we must make the intellectual property market more fair and dynamic. This year, we will continue to revise laws to strengthen intellectual property rights protection, including the Korean-style discovery system and full return of infringer profits, and strengthen crackdowns on infringement acts by establishing a counterfeiting investigation team and reinforcing special judicial police authority. We will also correct unfair use of intellectual property, such as the issue of trademark fee extortion by large corporations and franchises, in cooperation with related ministries. Furthermore, we will build a public-private cooperative intellectual property trading platform to activate intellectual property transactions and strengthen support so that intellectual property can be actively utilized through expanding IP finance support and establishing a recovery support organization. Meanwhile, we will establish an integrated support system that discovers innovative patents and links them to startups and investments, supporting startups and success through intellectual property.

The ultimate destination of companies that have grown with technological competitiveness based on intellectual property is the world. This year, we will prioritize supporting overseas patent acquisition so that our companies can enter the global market with confidence. We will expand local bases to support overseas expansion, focusing on New Southern countries, and strengthen support for infringement prevention and dispute response. We will also enhance international cooperation in all areas such as examination systems, information systems, and education with promising emerging countries like ASEAN, India, and the Middle East, creating a global intellectual property environment more familiar to our companies.

Dialogue and communication are essential for these tasks. We have made many efforts for communication and achieved results, but there were also many regrets. There are many things we all must do together this year as well. Without active communication, we cannot achieve the desired results. Going forward, the Korean Intellectual Property Office will listen to the voices of the people, communicate humbly, and implement intellectual property policies.

The world is fiercely competing at the turning point of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and South Korea is at the center of the battlefield. Considering capital without borders, limited consumable resources like land, and labor that can no longer be our competitive advantage, the fourth element we must choose is intellectual property, the product of intellectual and creative activities. Fortunately, thanks to the creative DNA and efforts of the people, we have become the fourth country in the world to file the most patents. Last year, the Korean Intellectual Property Office established the fourth patent examination office. It seems that the luck of the four-leaf clover will be with South Korea's intellectual property and innovative growth.

This year is the year of the white rat, Gyeongja (庚子年), symbolizing abundance, hope, and opportunity. Gyeong (庚) means white, so it is called the year of the 'white rat.' The white rat will likely wisely seize opportunities rather than tirelessly searching for food in every corner. There is also a saying from Laozi: 'Cheonmanghoehwe soibulsil (天網恢恢 疎而不失),' which literally means 'The net of heaven is vast and wide, yet nothing escapes it.' Like this, I hope all of you will not miss what must be done this year while having the leisure to look after yourselves and those around you. Happy New Year. Thank you.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.