A survey has revealed that South Korean corporations had outstanding performances in the international patent arena last year.
The Korean Intellectual Property Office announced on the 30th that South Korea's international patent applications (PCT) increased by 7.1% compared to the previous year. Since overtaking Germany in 2020, South Korea has maintained its position as the world's fourth-largest for five consecutive years.
The international patent application system grants the effect of applying for patents in multiple countries by submitting a single patent application. According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), global international patent applications, which decreased in 2023, rebounded by 0.5% compared to the previous year.
South Korea's international patent applications have continuously increased over the past 27 years since 1998. Last year, the number reached 23,851, positioning South Korea as the fourth largest in the world following China, the United States, and Japan.
South Korea's increase in international patent applications last year was 7.1%, the highest among the top five countries. Meanwhile, the increase rates for major countries were -2.8% for the United States, -1.3% for Germany, -1.2% for Japan, and 0.9% for China.
By corporation, Samsung Electronics ranked second globally with 4,640 international patent applications last year, while LG Electronics recorded 2,083 applications, placing fourth. The top spot went to Huawei, with Qualcomm in third and CATL in fifth.
Samsung Electronics saw an 18.2% increase in PCT applications compared to the previous year, marking the highest growth rate among the top 10 companies worldwide. LG Electronics also rose two spots from sixth to fourth.
Last year, domestic corporations filed 2,346 applications for the Madrid trademark, reflecting a 12.1% increase from the previous year. Hague design applications reached 892, marking an 8.1% rise.
Shin Sang-gon, director of the Korean Intellectual Property Office’s Industrial Property Protection Cooperation Bureau, said, "The increase in international intellectual property applications by our corporations for 2024 is evidence of their active efforts to protect intellectual property, the result of ideas and innovation, in overseas markets," adding, "The Korean Intellectual Property Office will strive to create an international intellectual property ecosystem that allows our corporations to gain an advantage overseas based on 'luxury patents.'"