On April 30, EPO President Campinos hosted a welcome ceremony for the KIPO Commissioner at the EPO headquarters in Munich. As mentioned above, this was Commissioner Kim's first visit to the EPO, as well as his first meeting with the EPO President since taking office in June 2024. This visit highlights the strong and trust-based partnership between the two institutions, as well as their shared strategic priorities.

Shared Vision for the Future

Campinos welcomed the visit, viewing it as a sign of continued mutual trust and deepening cooperation. He said: "There is a strong and dynamic partnership between the EPO and KIPO. We have a history of collaboration and will continue to work together to improve the patent system for the benefit of users."

Kim expressed appreciation for the ongoing strategic dialogue and reaffirmed KIPO's interest in deepening cooperation across different areas. He stated: "We are satisfied with the progress made and look forward to further strengthening our long-term cooperative relationship with the EPO. Our joint efforts will undoubtedly enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of cooperation within the framework of the five largest intellectual property offices in the world (IP5), ultimately benefiting all users."

Focus on Quality, Artificial Intelligence, Unitary Patent, and Global Cooperation

The meeting covered a wide range of topics, including progress on the Unitary Patent, insights on patent application trends from the latest 2024 Patent Index, implementation of the 2025 Quality Action Plan, and the EPO's new artificial intelligence usage policy.

Regarding the Unitary Patent, the meeting highlighted its increasing popularity among Korean patent owners, with the acceptance rate of the Unitary Patent by Korean patent holders rising from 9.7% in 2023 to 18.9% in 2024. Both parties agreed to continue exploring ways to expand its advantages.

Cooperation within the IP5 framework was also a focus, with both sides reaffirming their commitment to enhancing efficiency, improving user services, and ensuring long-term coordination through joint initiatives.

Korea: A Leader in Patents and Technology

The meeting also emphasized Korea's important role in the global innovation landscape. In 2024, Korean applicants filed approximately 13,000 patent applications at the EPO, representing a 4.2% increase compared to 2023 and a 57% increase compared to 2019. The country's notable areas of strength include patent applications related to electrical machinery (which increased by 15.8% in 2024 compared to 2023) and battery-related technologies (with a 20% increase).

Samsung became the EPO's leading applicant in 2024, returning to the top position for the first time since 2020, while LG ranked third on the list of applicants.

Source:http://ipr.mofcom.gov.cn/article/gjxw/gbhj/yzqt/hg/202505/1991659.html