KIPO "Seized 80,000 Counterfeit Items... Rolex Watches Most Frequent"

Provided by the Korean Intellectual Property Office

[Asia Economy (Daejeon) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] The Korean Intellectual Property Office announced on the 15th that it had criminally charged 557 individuals for trademark infringement last year and seized 80,000 counterfeit goods (worth approximately 41.5 billion KRW in genuine product value) that these individuals attempted to distribute in the market.

Most of the seized counterfeit goods were high-end luxury items, with Rolex watches accounting for a significant portion. In fact, among the seized items last year, the genuine product value by brand showed Rolex at 11.2 billion KRW, the highest, followed by Chanel at 6.4 billion KRW, Louis Vuitton at 4.3 billion KRW, Cartier at 4.1 billion KRW, and Audemars Piguet at 3.6 billion KRW.

By product category based on genuine product value, wristwatches and other timepieces were the highest at 20.6 billion KRW, followed by jewelry such as rings, earrings, necklaces, and bracelets at 6.3 billion KRW; bags including handbags, pouches, and wallets at 5.5 billion KRW; clothing at 4.7 billion KRW; and other items such as glasses and electronic devices at 4.5 billion KRW.

It is understood that the counterfeit goods seized last year included not only overseas high-end luxury items but also a considerable number of mid-priced products that meet everyday consumer needs.

Provided by the Korean Intellectual Property Office

In particular, the Korean Intellectual Property Office explained that as the coffee beverage market grows and TV golf and entertainment programs expand, the population enjoying coffee and golf has increased, leading to cases where offenders were caught selling counterfeit related items such as tumblers, mugs, and golf balls.

Kim Young-bae, head of the Trademark Special Judicial Police Division at the Korean Intellectual Property Office, said, “With the increase in non-face-to-face transactions, cases of trading counterfeit goods online are expected to become more frequent. The Korean Intellectual Property Office will strengthen planned investigations against sellers of counterfeit goods related to public safety and health to establish a fair trade order.”

Meanwhile, the number of individuals criminally charged in counterfeit goods crackdowns last year decreased by 9.7% compared to 2020 (617 people), and the number of seized items decreased by 89.2% (from 720,471 items in 2020 to 78,061 items last year).

On the other hand, the genuine product value increased by 160.1%, from 15.96 billion KRW in 2020 to 41.51 billion KRW last year, indicating an increase in the production and distribution of counterfeit goods centered on high-end luxury items.

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