KIPO "Disclosure of Trademark-Registrable Similar Product Names... Preventing Examination Delays"

The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) will disclose similar product names eligible for trademark registration to the public to prevent delays in examination processing periods caused by errors in product names.

According to KIPO on the 4th, the disclosure of similar product names will begin on the 5th, with a total of 870 names across 43 categories to be released.

The disclosed names are those that do not belong to the existing notified product list but have been reviewed multiple times and deemed acceptable by examiners as similar product names.

Examples of Acceptable Similar Product Names. Provided by the Korean Intellectual Property Office

For example, ‘sajin-yong album’ (photo album) and ‘gongchaek’ (notebook) are notified names, whereas ‘sajin-cheop’ (photo book) and ‘note’ are considered similar names. Even if the names listed in the dictionary are commonly used with meanings similar to the notified names, they can be accepted if they do not fall under different classifications or unclear names.

The list of acceptable product names will be disclosed on the KIPO website and KIPRIS, serving as reference materials when designating products during application.

KIPO plans to continuously review and expand the scope of disclosed names in the future.

Meanwhile, when applying for a trademark, applicants usually must specify in the application form which products the trademark will be used for.

The names entered at this time must be acceptable under the Trademark Act, and it is important to note that if the product name is not specific and the classification is unclear, the trademark cannot be registered.

Also, even if the name is similar to a notified product name, it may be rejected as unclear or not recognized as a notified name depending on capitalization, spacing, notation, use of foreign words, or addition of symbols.

Gu Young-min, Director of the Trademark and Design Examination Bureau at KIPO, said, “We hope that disclosing similar product names that examiners can recognize will help prevent applicants from failing to secure trademark rights or experiencing delays.”

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