The Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) has revised the Design Examination Guidelines which went into effect on June 16, 2025. McCoy Russell shares the following updates.
- Similarity Evaluation Between Entire and Partial Designs
KIPO has revised its examination standard to correct the prior practice of automatically deeming partial designs dissimilar to full designs, regardless of actual visual similarity. Examiners must now assess similarity on a case-by-case basis, enabling more accurate evaluation and allowing related design registrations across entire and partial designs. - Automobile Interior Design Applications
The amendment clarifies that multiple interior components of a vehicle—when functioning together as an integrated unit—can now be registered as a single design. This resolves prior inconsistencies where some examiners required separate registrations for each component. - Evidence Submission for Novelty Exceptions
KIPO now allows examiners to issue a notice when an applicant claims an exception to loss of novelty but omits required evidence. This gives applicants a chance to correct the oversight, a change from previous practice where such claims were disregarded without notice.
McCoy Russell is a nationally ranked for its trademark practice and patent drafting quality and prosecution practice, and maintains an active international client base helping to build strong patent and trademark portfolios. The firm continues to monitor updates for national and international intellectual property offices to better serve clients.
