South Korea is a member of the Madrid Protocol. All trademark applications undergo substantive examination automatically. If no refusal grounds are founded, the application will be published for opposition for 2 months. If there is no opposition, the application will be granted for registration. The applicant can file a request of the fast-track examination by paying additional fees.
(1) Applicant
- Any person who intends to use a trademark in South Korea can file a trademark application with KIPO (Korean Intellectual Property Office).
(2) Documents Required
- Applicant’s name, address.
- Trademark specimen
- International class, goods and services lists.
- POA (Power of Attorney)
(3) Claim of Priority
- Applicant can claim of Priority, if he(she) files the application within 6 months from the date of the priority application.
(4) Examination
- The application is automatically taken up for examination in the order of the filing date. Therefore, a request of examination is not required for substantive examination.
(5) Goods and Services
- The applicant has to designate goods or/and services that the trademark is to be used in accordance with the NICE CLASSIFICATION.