Korean Design Act changes

We noted some minor changes to Korean practice last year. Some more significant ones, operative from 1st January, are drawn to our attention by Sohn Kim & Partners in their newsletter. These are:

1 - KIPO will accept 3D drawings in DWG(Drawing), DWF(Design Web Format), and 3DS(3D Studio) format. A welcome emergence from the 19th century! Let's hope other offices follow suit.

2 - The former requirement for 6-orthogonal-plus-1-perspective views has been removed. You can submit as few drawings as you wish if they "explain the design and fully express the essentials of the creation" (to quote Sohn Kim). Again, welcome flexibility - something the UK has had since the decision in Ford's Application [1972] R.P.C. 320, [1971] F.S.R. 314.

3 - Changes (expansions, it seems) to the goods classification.

4 - Expansion of the numbers of articles allowable in sets.

Some Korean resources:

• Korean IP Law Blog
• Korean IP Law wiki
• Sean Hayes' Korean Law Blog
• KIPO