'Patriot Kwon Doin' Becomes First Korean to File US Patent Application... "Profits Used to Fund Independence Movement"

It has been found that patriot Kwon Doin (1888?1962) was the first Korean to file a patent application in the United States. Kwon Doin used the profits from his inventions and business ventures to financially support the Korean independence movement. The Korean Intellectual Property Office is planning and organizing a memorial event to honor Kwon Doin’s achievements.

The Korean Intellectual Property Office conducted a historical study titled "Inventions and Patent Applications/Registrations by Overseas Koreans in Major Countries" to commemorate the 50th anniversary of Liberation and the 60th anniversary of Invention Day this year, with the results announced on May 15.

The study investigated patent registration data from major countries?such as the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Japan?from the opening of Korea’s ports in 1876 to Liberation in 1945, in order to discover and analyze records of inventions by Koreans.

Patriot Kwon Doin and his wife Lee Heekyung. Provided by the Korean Intellectual Property Office

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During the research process, Kwon Doin was identified as the first Korean to file a patent application in the United States. Born in 1888 in Yeongyang, North Gyeongsang Province, Kwon Doin immigrated to Hawaii in 1905 as a laborer. On September 14, 1920, he filed a patent in the United States for a "sewing machine accessory," and the patent was registered on September 27 of the following year.

Notably, following his first patent registration, Kwon Doin’s invention of a "bamboo curtain" also received a patent and gained great popularity throughout the Americas, including Hawaii. This success laid the foundation for his successful furniture business in the region.

The Korean Intellectual Property Office explained that the profits from his business at the time were donated to fund the independence movement. Kwon Doin himself was also found to have been active in independence organizations such as the Korean National Association.

Kwon Doin’s wife, Lee Heekyung (1894?1947), also participated in the independence movement by raising and supporting funds for the national restoration movement and the independence war in Hawaii.

The couple was recognized for their contributions to the independence movement and support, receiving the Order of Merit for National Foundation, Patriotic Medal (Kwon Doin in 1998) and the Order of Merit for National Foundation, National Medal (Lee Heekyung in 2002) from the government. In 2004, they were both interred together in the Patriots’ Section at the Daejeon National Cemetery.

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Based on the findings of this study, the Korean Intellectual Property Office organized a memorial event to honor Kwon Doin’s achievements. The memorial event was held on May 15 at the Daejeon National Cemetery, where Kwon Doin and his wife are buried. Attendees included Kim Wanki, Commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office, Jang Jeonggyo, Director of the Daejeon National Cemetery, and Kwon Doin’s descendants (a grandson residing in Hawaii). The inscription plate was engraved with the words "First Korean to File a US Patent Application," ensuring that Kwon Doin’s achievements will be passed down to future generations.

On the same day (May 15), a special exhibition hall themed around independence and invention opened at the Hall of Inventors inside the Government Complex Daejeon. The exhibition hall introduces the achievements of five inventors: Kwon Doin, the first Korean to file a US patent application; Jeong Inho, the first Korean patent holder (for a horsehair hat); as well as Kang Youngseung, Park Youngro, and Jang Yeonsong. The Korean Intellectual Property Office expects that the opening of the exhibition hall will serve as an opportunity to shed new light on the lives of independence-patriot inventors who embodied both the spirit of independence and invention, dreaming of Korea’s future.

Kim Wanki, Commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office, stated, "The spirit of our forebears who devoted themselves to national independence through invention still resonates deeply in today’s science and technology-based society. As we approach the 80th anniversary of Liberation and the 60th anniversary of Invention Day, we hope this memorial event will remind us of the importance of invention and patents, and serve as an opportunity to reflect on future innovation."

Meanwhile, the Korean Intellectual Property Office also newly revealed through this study that patriot Kang Youngseung (1888?1987) was an inventor who registered a patent in the United States. Kang Youngseung filed a patent titled "Food product and process" in February 1934, which was registered in May 1936. His wife, Kang Wonshin (1887?1977), was also a patriot who actively participated in the independence movement in the United States. In recognition, the government posthumously awarded the Order of Merit for National Foundation, Patriotic Medal to Kang Wonshin in 1995 and the Order of Merit for National Foundation, Order of Merit for National Foundation to Kang Youngseung in 2016.

Additionally, it was revealed that the first Korean to register a US patent was Park Youngro (dates of birth and death unknown). Park Youngro filed a patent for a "fishing rod" on September 16, 1920, two days after Kwon Doin’s application. However, the registration date was May 10, 1921, which was about four months earlier than Kwon Doin’s patent registration. Park Youngro is also recorded as having served as secretary of the "Korean Communications Department," an independence organization for Koreans in America.

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