Trademark registration in South KoreaQuick answer
Trademarks in South Korea are registered with the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO); the official application fee is KRW 52,000 per class, and third parties can oppose within 2 months from publication, not extendable. A registration lasts 10 years from the registration date and can be renewed. South Korea can be designated through the Madrid System.
Checked against official sources on 11 October 2026 · see sources
- Office
- KIPO
- Official fee
- KRW 52,000 / class
- Madrid Protocol
- Member since 2003
- Opposition
- 2 months from publication, not extendable
- Protection
- 10 years from registration date
- Multi-class filing
- Allowed
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The trademark office and official links
Trademarks in South Korea are registered by the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO).
Official fees in South Korea
| Official fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application, electronic filing (per class) Plus 2,000 per designated item beyond 10 in a class | KRW 52,000 |
| Application, paper filing (per class) Plus 2,000 per designated item beyond 10 in a class | KRW 62,000 |
| Registration fee, 10 years paid at once (per class) Plus 2,000 per designated item beyond 10; may instead be paid in two instalments of 122,000 each | KRW 201,000 |
| Renewal, paid at once (per class) Plus 2,000 per designated item beyond 10; may instead be paid in two instalments of 184,000 each | KRW 300,000 |
| Late renewal after expiry, paid at once (per class) Plus 2,000 per designated item beyond 10 | KRW 330,000 |
Official office fees only (schedule as of 2024-02). Official fee schedule. Professional fees of a local firm are extra — compare fixed-fee packages.
How to register a trademark in South Korea
- Search existing marks and prepare the list of goods and services under the Nice Classification.
- Applicants without an address or place of business in Korea appoint a Korean patent attorney to file for them.
- File the application with KIPO, claiming Paris Convention priority within 6 months of the first filing if applicable.
- KIPO carries out a formality check and then a substantive examination of distinctiveness and conflicts with earlier marks.
- Respond to any notice of grounds for refusal with arguments or amendments, such as deleting conflicting goods.
- If no grounds for refusal remain, the application is published in the Trademark Publication Gazette for a 2-month opposition period.
- After a decision to grant, pay the registration fee within the set period to have the right registered.
Examination, publication and opposition
- Examination: KIPO examiners carry out formality and substantive examination, generally in order of filing; KIPO's English procedure page states that examination generally takes about 5 months.
- Publication: Trademark Publication Gazette
- Opposition period: 2 months from publication, not extendable
Protection, renewal and use
- Term: 10 years from the registration date, renewable.
- Late renewal: Renewal may be filed late after expiry for a higher fee (330,000 KRW per class instead of 300,000); the statutory late period is understood to be 6 months
- Use requirement: a registration can be challenged after 3 years of non-use.
- Rights system: first to file.
Filing from abroad
- Local agent: Applicants with no address or place of business in Korea must file through a Korean patent attorney (patent administrator); otherwise the application is returned without an application number.
- Power of attorney: A power of attorney is filed when acting through a representative; it does not have to be filed with the application and KIPO issues a notice of amendment if it is missing.
- Language: Korean
Firms on TrademarksHub that cover South Korea can act as your local agent — see firms.
Madrid Protocol
South Korea is a member of the Madrid System (in force since 2003). You can designate it in an international application filed through your home office, or file a national application directly. A local firm can advise which route is cheaper for your classes and timeline.
Trademark classes
Nice Classification (45 classes), applied in Korea since 1 March 1998. One application can cover several classes. Not sure which classes you need? See all 45 classes or classes by business type.
How South Korea compares
- Opposition: 2 months from publication, not extendable — compare all countries
- Renewal: every 10 years; grace period Renewal may be filed late after expiry for a higher fee (330,000 KRW per class instead of 300,000); the statutory late period is understood to be 6 months — compare all countries
- Foreign owners: required — rules in every country
Guides: registering in any country · costs by country · Madrid
Good to know in South Korea
- No use is required before filing, but the applicant must have a bona fide intention to use the mark in Korea.
- Fees are charged per class and an extra 2,000 KRW is charged for each designated item beyond 10 in a class.
- Rejected applications can be appealed to the Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board within 30 days of receiving the decision.
- Registered marks not used for 3 or more consecutive years can be cancelled.