UK & Korea - Patent Prosecution Highway between US & Korea

The US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) have launched a pilot Patent Prosecution Highway program between the two offices.

"Under the Patent Prosecution Highway, an applicant receiving a ruling from either CIPO or KIPO that at least one claim in an application is patentable may request that the USPTO fast track the examination of corresponding claims in corresponding applications. Similarly, if the USPTO determines that at least one claim is patentable, the applicant may request accelerated processing of corresponding applications filed at CIPO or KIPO."

"'By facilitating the direct use of each other's patent examination results, the KIPO-USPTO Patent Prosecution Highway will alleviate the examination workload and enhance the overall quality of examinations in our respective countries,' said Commissioner Sang-Woo Jun of KIPO. 'It will also be of great benefit for Korean and U.S. applicants as it will expedite the acquisition and commercialization of high quality patents.'"

The US-Korea Patent Prosecution Highway pilot program follows other such programs between Japan & Korea, the US & Japan, the US & Canada, the UK & the US, and the UK & Japan.

The trial program between the US and Korea is to run for one year, terminating on 28 January 2009.

Sources and for further information

USPTO Press Release - USPTO Expands Patent Prosecution Highway Network to Canadian, Korean Patent Offices

USPTO - The Patent Prosecution Highway in Conjunction With the Korean Intellectual Property Office

KIPO - Patent Prosecution Highway

Information about other Patent Prosecution Highways

IP Menu news - US & Canada - Patent Prosecution Highway

IP Menu news - UK & USA - Patent Prosecution Highway opens between UK and USA

IP Menu news - UK, Japan & US - Patent Prosecution Highway updates