NTO - Vietnam - Korea strengthen cooperation on intellectual property

On the morning of June 22, in Hanoi, the National Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam ( Ministry of Science and Technology ) and the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) signed a Memorandum of Understanding on intellectual property cooperation to further strengthen cooperation in issues related to trademarks (policies and practices of appraisal, management systems, etc.).

The new Memorandum of Cooperation replaces the Memorandum of Cooperation signed by the two sides in 2009.

Emphasizing the good relations between Vietnam and Korea, Director of the National Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam Dinh Huu Phi said: After more than 30 years of establishing diplomatic relations since December 22, 1992, the relationship between Vietnam and Korea has been upgraded to "Comprehensive Strategic Partnership" on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in December 2022. Korea is currently the largest investor in Vietnam. The two countries have established and participated in many bilateral and multilateral cooperation mechanisms, including the Vietnam - Korea Free Trade Agreement (VKFTA) which took effect in December 2015, creating a basis for promoting bilateral economic, trade and investment cooperation.

Mr. Dinh Huu Phi, Director of the Department of Intellectual Property ( Ministry of Science and Technology ). Illustration photo: VGP

The Korean Intellectual Property Office has had close and effective cooperation with the Vietnam Intellectual Property Office. The cooperation programs and projects that have been and are being implemented by the two agencies are evidence of the good cooperative relationship between Vietnam and Korea in general and the special support and attention of the Korean Government for Vietnam's intellectual property system in particular.

At the signing ceremony, Ms. LEE Insil, Director General of the Korean Intellectual Property Office, said that the event was an opportunity for leaders and officers of the two agencies to exchange experiences and information related to trademarks such as: Appraisal policies and practices, management systems, etc.; survey on intellectual property rights enforcement in Korea; sign the Patent Application Acceleration Program (PPH Program) Phase 2 for a period of two years (from June 1, 2021 - May 31, 2023) after completing the pilot implementation of the PPH Program Phase 1 (June 1, 2019 - May 31, 2021).

Regarding the content of the Memorandum of Understanding, Ms. LEE Insil said that the two sides shared updated information on the development of intellectual property; exchanged experiences, policies, and common approaches to increase the effectiveness of intellectual property management and appraisal; conducted research and exchanged experts focusing on improving the intellectual property system to promote appraisal; supported the implementation of multilateral cooperation frameworks of which the parties are members such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) on the protection of intellectual property objects, including the protection of patents, industrial designs, trademarks, and prevention of trademarks registered with bad intentions, etc.

Sharing more about the Patent Application Acceleration Program, Ms. LEE Insil said that this is a cooperation content within the framework of the Cooperation Agreement signed in 2018 between the two agencies. The program has now completed 2 pilot phases. Specifically, in phase 1 (June 1, 2019 - May 31, 2021), the Intellectual Property Office received 89 requests for accelerated examination of patent applications; in phase 2 (June 1, 2021 - May 31, 2023), the Intellectual Property Office received 29 requests for accelerated examination of patent applications originating from the Korean Intellectual Property Office. The Korean Intellectual Property Office has not received any requests for accelerated examination of patent applications originating from Vietnam in either phase.

“The two agencies have agreed to extend the Phase 3 trial (June 1, 2023-May 31, 2025), maintaining the conditions and the limit of 100 requests/year/agency. Hopefully, the new Memorandum of Understanding will be in-depth and substantive, helping to improve capacity and contribute to the development of each side's intellectual property system,” Ms. LEE Insil emphasized.

To make the Patent Application Fast Track Examination Program between the two agencies more widely known, Director of the Vietnam Intellectual Property Office Dinh Huu Phi recommends that the Korean Intellectual Property Office consider and notify the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) and relevant agencies to provide information for Korean enterprises intending to develop business in Vietnam to learn and use.

According to VNA/Tin Tuc Newspaper

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