International Activities
JIPA sends Delegation to Korea(IPG,KIPO,KINPA)
Some members of JIPA Asia PJ went to South Korea from November 15 to 18, 2010, upon receiving an invitation from JETRO and KINPA (Korea Intellectual Property Association). This 4-member-delegation engaged in various activities, such as giving a lecture at the Korea IPG Seminar, organized by the JETRO Seoul Center, exchanging opinions with the KIPO (Korean Industrial Property Office), and giving a lecture at the KINPA's General Meeting.
The Korea IPG was set up in the spring of 2010, with the objective of promoting the exchange of information on intellectual property among Japanese companies operating businesses in Korea. On November 15, it held the third meeting since its inauguration. The meeting was divided into two parts: Part I, including the lecture given by Mr. Lee Soowon, Commissioner of KIPO; and Part II, including the lecture given by the JIPA members and the panel discussion. About 60 people participated in the seminar from the Korea IPG member companies and Korean patent firms. The 4 members of the JIPA delegation gave lectures and participated in the panel discussion, on such topics as the current status of IP activities in Korea, focusing on major industries, namely, automobiles, toys, electric appliances, and chemicals, as well as their requests for Japanese companies incorporated in Korea.
On November 16, the delegation visited KIPO and exchanged opinions with its officials with regard to the system reforms that JIPA had requested of the Korea government. As they narrowed the topics down to the 4 requests from JIPA, they were able to have a productive discussion. In addition, they acquired valuable information concerning the legal revisions that KIPO was planning to put into force in 2012, that is, the revisions to the Korean Patent Act and Design Protection Act in conformity with the Patent Law Treaty (PLT) and the Hague Agreement, respectively.
On November 17, KINPA, JIPA's counterparty in Korea, held its General Meeting, in which 2 members of the delegation, Mr. Koumoto (JIPA Vice Chairperson, Nissan) and Mr. Osonoe (JIPA Managing Director of Asia PJ, BANDAI) gave lectures. On the same day, other members of the delegation visited the JETRO Seoul Center, and exchanged opinions with the personnel on a wide range of issues, including how to promote cooperation between the Korea IPG and JIPA, and how JIPA should inform the Korean government of its opinions.
