LESI Design Study — Korea

Today, the majority of countries in the world (including Korea) have intellectual property systems that recognize the value of creative intellectual activity and provide creators with a period of exclusive rights. Korea has several IP related laws, including the Patent Act, Utility Model Act, Design Protection Act, Trademark Act, and Copyright Act. Among these, the Design Protection Act protects newly created industrial designs and provides exclusive rights to use the design by the creator of the design. The Design Protection Act protects the aesthetic appearance of industrial products. The design has the function of appealing to the consumer and increasing the desirability of the product. The importance of designs on consumers’ decisions is increasing, which in turn has increased the importance and popularity of design protection. Reflecting this trend, the number of design applications filed in Korea has increased from about 30,000/year in the early 2000s to about 60,000/year in 2019.