With effect from July 1, 2014, South Korea joined the Hague International Design System which allows for the protection of designs in several countries through the filing of a single application with the World’s Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO).
South Korea is the 62nd member to enter into the Hague Agreement for the International Registration of Industrial Designs.
This system offers significant opportunities for efficiency gains and allows the filing of up to 100 different designs per application. It also simplifies the recording of changes in, and renewals of, protected industrial designs.
Only contracting parties can benefit from the system. Non-member States such as the United States and Japan still require the filing of applications at a national level.
However, more and more countries are currently filing for membership, which is good news for companies. Similarly to international trademarks, it is recommended to take advantage of the benefits offered by international designs.