Dynamic development and rapid change, especially under a very active judiciary, have generated the need for a new edition of this preeminent book on intellectual property (IP) law in Korea, here undertaken by a new generation of IP scholars and practitioners. Although Korea is fully assimilated into today’s international IP regime, seekers of IP rights in Korea may still encounter elements that make the Korean IP regime distinctive among that of other countries. It is particularly in the areas of administrative and enforcement procedure that practitioners require specialised knowledge if they are to move confidently and ensure adequate legal protection in Korea of patents, copyrights, designs, trademarks, computer programs, geographical indications, and other intangibles. This updated second edition, like the first, provides this knowledge in considerable depth. Twelve Korean practitioners spare no pains to clarify all the essential details of practice and procedure in the major areas of IP law in their country. For example, they include specific guidance on such matters as the following: • jurisdiction of various institutions administering intellectual property rights; • patent law changes caused by the Korea–United States Free Trade Agreement; • how infringement cases move through the Korean court system; • available remedies and defences in infringement actions; • the use of the Customs Act to prohibit importation; • technical evaluation of utility models; • original, licensing, and transfer rights of inventors, owners, and co-owners; • special provisions for inventions in biotechnology, chemistry, and pharmacy; • inventions related to computers and business methods; • the substantial requirements for design registration; • the Korean patent approval linkage system; • recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments. The authors fully cover implications of the numerous bilateral treaties and accessions to international agreements entered into by Korea in the twelve years since the first edition, as well as all relevant case law. As one of the world’s leaders in the design and manufacture of semiconductor chips and other computer hardware and software, Korea accommodates a great number of IP applications and registrations. Its IP rights system is sound and well established, and offers excellent protection to those who come to it prepared. This book is an effective and substantial means to that end.

Derived from the renowned multi-volume International Encyclopaedia of Laws, this monograph provides a survey and analysis of the rules concerning intellectual property rights in the South Korea. It covers every type of intellectual property right in depth – copyright and neighbouring rights, patents, utility models, trademarks, trade names, industrial designs, plant variety protection, chip protection, trade secrets, and confidential information. Particular attention is paid throughout to recent developments and trends. The analysis approaches each right in terms of its sources in law and in legislation, and proceeds to such legal issues as subject matter of protection, conditions of protection, ownership, transfer of rights, licences, scope of exclusive rights, limitations, exemptions, duration of protection, infringement, available remedies, and overlapping with other intellectual property rights. The book provides a clear overview of intellectual property legislation and policy, and at the same time offers practical guidance on which sound preliminary decisions may be based. Lawyers representing parties with interests in the South Korea will welcome this very useful guide, and academics and researchers will appreciate its value in the study of comparative intellectual property law.

We live in an age in which expressive, informational, and technological subject matter are becoming increasingly important. Intellectual property is the primary means by which the law seeks to regulate such subject matter. It aims to promote innovation and creativity, and in doing so to support solutions to global environmental and health problems, as well as freedom of expression and democracy. It also seeks to stimulate economic growth and competition, accounting for its centrality to EU Internal Market and international trade and development policies. Additionally, it is of enormous and increasing importance to business. As a result there is a substantial and ever-growing interest in intellectual property law across all spheres of industry and social policy, including an interest in its legal principles, its social and normative foundations, and its place and operation in the political economy. This handbook written by leading academics and practitioners from the field of intellectual property law, and suitable for both a specialist legal readership and an intelligent but non-specialist legal and non-legal readership, provides a comprehensive account of the following areas: - The foundations of IP law, including its emergence and development in different jurisdictions and regions; - The substantive rules and principles of IP; and - Important issues arising from the existence and operation of IP in the political economy.

This publication aims to promote the development of empirical research on the economics of intellectual property in the Republic of Korea, and endeavors to provide policy makers with research based conclusions in different areas of intellectual property.

South Korea known as the hermit kingdom was wrenched from its isolation in the mid-seventies with the forced industialisation of its economy by Park Chung-hee during his dictatorial regime. This led South Korea to becoming the most rapidly industialised country in the world with world class technology and a population who are largely digitally proficient. The course is charted from the rule of Park Chung-hee to his democratically elected daughter President Park Geun-hye who is now on trial for corruption. The legacy of the Park to Park era is not only the most fruitful in Korean history but the most tumultuous, most recently because of the accelerated nuclear ambitions of North Korea. The analysis is through the framework of investment, innovation and intellectual property rights and the double edged sword of cult and rapid action, so central to Korean culture.

'Intellectual property and private international law' was one of the subjects discussed at the 18th International Congress of Comparative Law held in Washington (July 2010). This volume contains the General Report and 20 National Reports covering Canada, US, Japan, Korea, India and a number of European countries (Austria, France, Germany, UK, Spain etc). The General Report was prepared on the basis of National Reports. The national reporters not only describe the existing legal framework, but also provide answers for up to 12 hypothetical cases concerning international jurisdiction, choice-of-law and recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments in multi-state IP disputes. Based on their answers the main differences between legal systems as well as the shortcomings of the cross-border enforcement of IP rights are outlined in the General Report. The Reports in this volume analyse relevant court decisions as well as recent legislative proposals (such as the ALI, CLIP, Transparency, Waseda and Korean Principles). This book is therefore a significant contribution to the existing debate in the field and will be a valuable source of reference in shaping future developments in the cross-border enforcement of IP rights in a global context.

Introduction Intellectual property rights foster innovation. But if, as it surely does, “intellectual property” means not just intellectual property rules—the law of patents, copyrights, trademarks, designs, trade secrets, and unfair competition—but also intellectual property institutions—the courts, police, regulatory agencies, and collecting soc- ties that administer these rules—what are the respective roles of intellectual property rules and institutions in fostering creativity? And, to what extent do forces outside intellectual property rules and institutions—economics, culture, politics, history—also contribute to innovation? Is it possible that these other factors so overwhelm the impact of intellectual property regimes that it is futile to expect adjustments in intellectual property rules and institutions to alter patterns of inno- tion and, ultimately, economic development? It was to address these questions in the most dynamic region of the world today, Asia, that we invited leading country experts to contribute studies that not only summarize the current condition of intellectual property regimes in countries ranging in economic size from Cambodia to Japan, and in population from Laos to China, but that also describe the historical sources of these laws and institutions; the realities of intellectual property enforcement in the marketplace; and the political, economic, educational, and scientific infrastructures that sustain and direct inve- ment in innovative activity. A.

In today’s knowledge-based global economy, most inventions are made by employed persons through their employers’ research and development activities. However, methods of establishing rights over an employee’s intellectual property assets are relatively uncertain in the absence of international solutions. Given that increasingly more businesses establish entities in different countries and more employees co-operate across borders, it becomes essential for companies to be able to establish the conditions under which ownership subsists in intellectual property created in employment relationships in various countries. This comparative law publication describes and analyses employers’ acquisition of employees’ intellectual property rights, first in general and then in depth. This second edition of the book considers thirty-four different jurisdictions worldwide. The book was developed within the framework of the International Association for the Protection of Intellectual Property (AIPPI), a non-affiliated, non-profit organization dedicated to improving and promoting the protection of intellectual property at both national and international levels. Among the issues and topics covered by the forty-nine distinguished contributors are the following: • different approaches in different law systems; • choice of law for contracts; • harmonizing international jurisdiction rules; • conditions for recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments; • employees’ rights in copyright, semiconductor chips, inventions, designs, plant varieties and utility models on a country-by-country basis; • employee remuneration right; • parties’ duty to inform; and • instances for disputes. With its wealth of information on an increasingly important subject for practitioners in every jurisdiction, this book is sure to be put to constant use by corporate lawyers and in-house counsel everywhere. It is also exceptionally valuable as a thorough resource for academics and researchers interested in the international harmonization of intellectual property law.

This comprehensive Research Handbook explores the rights of employers and employees with regard to intellectual property (IP) created within the framework of the employment relationship. Investigating the development of employee IP from a comparative perspective, it contextualises issues in the light of theoretical approaches in both IP law and labour law.