Navigating the Korean
Patent Landscape 한국 특허
For decades, critical Korean IP resources — patent legislation, court rulings, prosecution documents, and industry publications — have remained largely inaccessible to the English-speaking world. Where translations do exist, they often contain imprecise terminology that can mislead attorneys, examiners, and researchers.
This page is our contribution toward changing that. Here we publish original English translations of Korean patent documents — from historical IP publications dating back to the 1960s, to current Patent Act provisions, Patent Court decisions, and KIPO policy developments. Every translation is produced by our team with the same precision we apply to our client work.
This is a living resource. New translations are added regularly. If you have a document you'd like to see translated or discussed here, let us know.
Korean Patent Terminology Guide
A growing reference of commonly mistranslated Korean patent terms — with the correct English equivalents and explanations of why precision matters. View the guide →
Historical Translations
역사적 번역Original English translations of Korean IP publications, patent law debates, and industry documents from the 1960s through the early 2000s — most appearing in English for the first time.
Korea's Semiconductor Layout Design Protection Act: The Road to Enactment
Translated from 특허와상표 No. 339. How Korea built its semiconductor IP framework — from the 1986 feasibility study through the 1993 implementation, including the full legislative timeline.
Read translation →특허와 상표 Shifts to Horizontal Writing: A 1996 Turning Point
Translated excerpt from 특허와 상표 제407호, in which Korea's leading IP magazine announced its transition from vertical Hanja text to horizontal Korean, with commentary on the nationwide shift across newspapers, legal texts, and technical publications.
Read translation →Patent Act & Regulations
특허법 및 시행규칙Precise English translations of key Korean Patent Act provisions, with annotations on terminology choices and comparisons to other published translations.
Court & Tribunal Decisions
법원 및 심판원 결정Translated excerpts from Korean Supreme Court, Patent Court, and IP Tribunal (특허심판원) rulings — with context on their significance for patent practice.
Industry & Policy News
산업 및 정책 소식Translated coverage of current KIPO developments, legislative changes, and Korean IP industry news — context that international practitioners need but can't easily find in English.