THE SUMMARY OF THE 23RD COMMISSIONERS MEETING BETWEEN JPO AND KIPO

<Commissioner Iwai of JPO (left) and Commissioner Lee of KIPO (right)>

1. DateDecember 15, 2011 (Thursday)

2. VenueGyeongju Hilton Hotel, Gyeongju, Republic of Korea

3. AttendeesMr. Yoshiyuki IWAI

Commissioner of the Japan Patent Office (JPO)

Mr. LEE Soowon,

Commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO)

4. Backgrounds

The commissioners of the JPO and the KIPO assemble annually to discuss bilateral cooperation in the field of patent, design, trademark, information technology, IP human resource development, and so on. The 23^rd Commissioners Meeting between the JPO and the KIPO was held in Geyongju, Republic of Korea.

5. Summary of the Results

(1) PCT-PPH

In responding to the JPO’s proposal for PCT-PPH between Japan and Korea, the JPO and the KIPO agreed to make arrangements toward signing the agreement during the first half of the next year.

(2) Harmonization

The KIPO agreed on the JPO’s proposal that IP5 expert panel be established after the IP5 Heads meeting next year toward achieving harmonization, and promised to get actively involved in the discussions.

(3) Patent Classification

Relating to the discussions about the CHC project within the framework of IP5 offices, the JPO and the KIPO reconfirmed the importance of cooperation in classification among Japan, Korea and China, where their industrial structures are close to each other, and agreed to work together in this field.

(4) Patent Law Revision

The KIPO explained about the revisions of the Patent Act and Utility Model Act of Korea, which was made to reflect the PLT. The JPO also shared amendments made to the Patent Act in 2011.

[Last updated 10 February 2012]