DAEJEON - The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) announced that Korean and Japanese patent experts held a 'Bilateral Meeting between KIPO and JPO regarding Laws and Systems' at the Japan Patent Office (Tokyo, Japan), where they shared information on current issues in patent law and system between the two countries and future cooperation plans, a press release stated by KIPO.
Launch of the 1st WG Consultative Body on Patent Law and System - Exchange of Information on Issues Concerning the Legal Status of an AI Inventor, etc.
The KIPO-JPO Director Generals meeting was held as a follow-up step to 'KIPO-JPO Heads Meeting' resumed in 6 years in May 2023. The meeting was very meaningful in that the two offices agreed to launch the 1st WG consultative body in the fields of the patent laws systems.
In this meeting, KIPO and JPO shared various issues such as △ the legal status of an AI inventor, △ the current revision trend of the Korean and Japanese legislation, △ the patent classification system regarding green technologies and its use measure, △ B+ group project management, etc.
* B+: 48 countries/institutions in total (WIPO B group countries (developed countries, such as US, Japan, etc.), the Republic of Korea, EPO member states, etc.). The B+ group was created in 2005 for resolving various issues regarding patent harmonization, and the Republic of Korea joined in 2008.
Specifically, the both offices exchanged information on whether AI should be recognized as an inventor and, if so, how the current patent laws and systems should be revised in the future, etc. KIPO and JPO also exchanged information on the recent revision of the laws and their improvements, with particular emphasis on relaxing the requirements for restoring a patent application - patent right (KIPO-JPO), etc.
Agreement on information sharing of response to climate change and international harmonization of the patent systems
The IP5 Heads of Offices Meeting was held in Jun. in the US under the theme of 'Response to Climate Change by way of the Comprehensive IP System, and the KIPO-JPO Director Generals meeting handled the same issue as well.
* IP5: CNIPA, EPO, JPO, KIPO, USPTO
JPO shared experiences of application of 'Green Transformation Technologies Inventory (GTTI*)', and KIPO presented a future plan for supporting accelerated examination of patent applications filed in the green technologies field and the 'Korean Patent Classification (KPC) System of Green Technologies' that is in the final stage.
* Green Transformation Technologies Inventory: JPO published the Green Transformation Technologies Inventory (GTTI) in Jun. 2022, and the Inventory includes the green technologies classification and search formula of relevant patent documents.
KIPO presented a blueprint for promoting efficient use of patent information in connection with the 'Korean Patent Classification (KPC) system' of the Ministry of Environment.
In addition, the both offices agreed to promote international harmonization of substantive matters of the patent systems, such as grace period, etc., in the B+ Group Meeting, for the purpose of protecting domestic companies and inventors who desire to carry out businesses overseas.