The U.S.-Korea Business Council intellectual property rights (IPR) working group serves as a forum for council members interested in issues related to IP protection and enforcement, including copyrights and patents, both in Korea and the broader Asia-Pacific region. The working group directs the Council’s program of work on IPR-related issues and identifies policy goals and recommendations to propose to the U.S. and Korean governments. In particular, the working group monitors developments in Korea’s IP laws and their enforcement, and works to build coalitions with the Korean business community to address challenges to IP protection in third-country markets.

The Council concurrently maintains a joint IPR working group with the Korea-U.S. Business Council, which works to identify areas of common interests between the U.S. and Korean business communities in this sector. For example, the councils encouraged the launch of a pilot U.S.-Korea patent prosecution highway by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, which was implemented in 2008 and made permanent in 2009.

Recent Activities

IPR Business Forum
October 30, 2008
Seoul, Korea

• In conjunction with their 2008 plenary meeting, the two councils held a business forum to discuss ongoing activities in Korea to promote copyright and patent protection, as well as innovation in Korea’s healthcare sector, which drew strong participation from the Korean and U.S. governments, businesses, and industry organizations.
• Presenters included officials from the Korea Intellectual Property Office, Korean Copyright Protection Center, Korean Film Federation Against Piracy, and representatives of PhRMA and the Korea Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association.
• The forum generated the attached joint council letter to the Korean government with recommendations on IPR policies identified by forum participants as priorities.