OEM exports and proof of trade mark use in Korea
The Korean Patent Court examined implied licensing, control over outsourced production and commercial identity in a non-use cancellation dispute involving food exports.
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KAHI: dissimilar goods can still create misleading trade mark associations
Korea’s Patent Court examines consumer deception where an established cosmetics brand is used for dietary supplements.
Read articleCovent Garden: a famous place is not necessarily a recognised service mark
Korea’s Patent Court distinguishes geographic reputation, recognition of commercial origin and an improper purpose in three Covent Garden applications.
Read articleUruaek and Urusa: confusion and dilution in Korean trade mark law
Korea’s Patent Court considered the reputation of Urusa, the dominant element of Uruaek and the commercial links between medicines and health drinks in case 2026Heo10010.
Read articleRemaking branded bags in Korea: private use and trade mark infringement
Korea’s Supreme Court distinguishes a customer’s private remodelling from the commercial supply of new products in case 2024Da311181.
Read articleDoctorsNow: regulatory relief and cancellation for non-use
A Korean Patent Court decision examines objective barriers to trademark use, temporary telemedicine permission and the three-year assessment period.
Read articleTikTok for confectionery: dilution can prevent registration in Korea
Korean Patent Court case 2025Heo10379 explains why different goods and later commercial success did not overcome the reputation and distinctiveness of TikTok.
Read articleCan Fear of a Trade Mark Dispute Justify Non-Use?
Korean Supreme Court decision 2024후10504 separates an intention to launch from actual use and objective obstacles beyond the owner’s control.
Read articleAn App Name: A Mark for Software or for the Service It Delivers?
The 010PAY decision, 2025허10405, considers actual transactions, revenue and the proper subject of Korean trade mark scope proceedings.
Read articleModel Numbers on Compatible Refills: When Is a Sign Used as a Trade Mark?
Korean Patent Court decision 2025허10434 examines the role of ‘250 SERIES’ in its packaging and market context.
Read articleNon-Use Trademark Cancellation: Responses Illustrated by Cases
An overview of non-use cancellation proceedings, with a focus on evidence of trademark use and strategies for responding.
Read articleWhy Trademark Applications Are Refused and How to Respond
A trademark application must meet the requirements for registration. One of the first issues to assess is whether the mark is distinctive.
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