A paper from the Korean Trademark Office of the electronic certificate, behind theDcompany spent months of accurate layout, but also heralded the Chinese brand in the Korean market has its own legal“identity card“.
According to local media reports,onJuly22,2025, a new regulation of the Korean Trademark Act came into effect, with the trademark opposition periodbeing drastically shortenedfrom60days to30days.
First, the first step of branding overseas: why the trademark must come first?
Trademark rights are strictly territorial. A brand name that is a household name in China, once entered into Korea, if not registered locally, its right to use will not be protected by law and is in a“naked“state.
In recent years, trademark snatching has become a major risk for Chinese enterprises going overseas. There are precedents that some brands’ trademarks have been maliciously seized by others overseas, and the enterprises are forced to pay high fees to redeem them, or even have no choice but to change their names.
This not only causes direct economic losses, but also seriously disrupts the rhythm of market expansion and damages brand reputation.Trademark is no longer a dispensable decoration, but a“talisman“that determines whether an enterprise can survive safely in overseas markets.
Second, the layout of South Korea’s golden opportunity: the double benefits of policy and market
At present, Chinese enterprises are facing a unique window period to enter the Korean market. On the one hand, the adjustment of the global trade pattern has made the Korean market relatively more attractive to Chinese enterprises.
On the other hand, the Korean trademark registration system itself is undergoing a speedy change. The key change is theshortening ofthe opposition period after the publication of a trademark from2months to30days, a revision thatcame into effectfromJuly22,2025onwards.
The Korea Institute of Licensing Office (KIPO) said the move is aimed at speeding up the overall trademark registration process so that99 percent ofapplications that have not faced opposition can be granted rights more quickly.
III. Key Points for Application: Compliance Process and Professional Representation
Following a compliant process is key to successfully registering a trademark in Korea. The entire process is divided intothreemainphases: pre-preparation, application and examination, and subsequent maintenance.
The first step is a trademark search.Companies need toverify the risk of similarity of trademarks in Korean, English and other elementsthroughthe official website ofKIPOor by appointing a professional agent. Due to cultural differences, it is particularly important to pay attention to possible conflicts of rights arising from the pronunciation and meaning of the Korean language.
A hard and fast rule that must be kept in mind is thata foreign applicant must appoint a local agent on record in Korea to submit the application and cannot do it on their own. This requires companies to choose a qualified and experienced service partner.
As for the preparation of materials, companies are required to provide a notarized Korean translation of the business license, a clear drawing of the trademark, and a Power of Attorney for Agency certified by a notary public in Korea.
Picture/Customer applied for a Korean trademark!
Fourth, the registration process under the new regulations: faster, but more demanding
After filing the application, the trademark will enter theexamination process ofKIPO.The examination is a two-step process: first, a1-2month formal examination, which mainly verifies the completeness of the information; followed bya 6-8month substantive examination, which examines the distinctiveness and legality of the trademark.
Trademarks that pass the examination will enter a30-daypublication period (according to the new regulations). If there is no third-party opposition,KIPOwillissue an electronic certificate of registration within1-2months (paper certificates have been completely eliminatedsince2024) and the trademark will be valid for10yearsfrom the date of registration.
Notably,the amendments tothe Korean Trademark Act in2025also strengthened the protection of rights holders.The cap on punitive damages for willful infringementhas been raisedfromthreetofivetimesthe actual damages, which significantly increases the cost of infringement and provides brands with a stronger legal weapon.
V. Successful registration is just the beginning: follow-up maintenance and long-term use
Obtaining a certificate of registration is not the end of the road, but the beginning of long-term brand protection.After registration, the trademark must be used for“real commercial use“in Korea withinthreeyears, such as selling through major Korean e-commerce platforms or opening offline stores.
Any third party may apply to revoke the trademarkif ithas not been used for3consecutiveyearswithout reasonable excuse.Meanwhile, enterprises should pay attention to therenewal procedures within6 monthsbefore the expiration of the trademark inorder to maintain the rights.
The successful experience of CompanyDshows that, with the full escort of a professional team, Chinese enterprises can fully front-plan the complex and compliant overseas trademark registration work, paving the way for the official launch of their products.
[Conclusion]
Walking intothe Korean office of CompanyD, a detailed roadmap for market expansion has been laid out next to the trademark registration certificate hanging on the wall. From online publicity warm-up, to offline channel negotiations, each link is marked with a clear start time.
The head of marketing is meeting with the local team to discuss how to incorporate the brand concept in the logo into the marketing strategy for the first batch of products. Just outside the door, samples bearing the brand new logo are being carefully unboxed for delivery to the Korean partner’s showroom.
This recently approved trademark is about to go from a legal symbol to a product and experience within the reach of Korean consumers.
*Reference source: KoreaKIPO,Court Registry Office, synthesized news reports collated, reproduced with attribution, infringement and deletion contact.
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