#Company A, a generative AI technology provider, was sued for patent infringement by a foreign Non-Practicing Entity (NPE). However, by establishing a professional defense strategy through the Patent Dispute Response Strategy Support project, the company brought the lawsuit to an early close based on patent invalidity analysis, significantly reducing its management burden.

#Three fashion companies exporting clothing, bags, and accessories saw their sales decline due to the distribution of counterfeit goods overseas. However, through the K-Brand Dispute Response Strategy Support project, the companies secured enforcement action in China, leading to the arrest of three key counterfeit producers and the seizure of 30,000 counterfeit items, thereby minimizing the damage.

The Ministry of Intellectual Property (MOIP), led by Minister Kim Yong Sun, announced that it has allocated a budget of KRW 46.8 billion for 2026, an increase of KRW 14.5 billion from the previous year, in order to prevent and respond to intellectual property (IP) disputes involving Korean companies at home and abroad. This is expected to provide stronger protection for Korean companies facing difficulties in responding to dispute due to cost burdens and a lack of expertise despite having their IP infringed.
*MOIP's IP Dispute Response Budget: KRW 32,316 million (2025) → KRW 46,836 million (2026) (increased KRW 14,520 million)

MOIP announced that it will hold the "Joint Briefing Session for 2026 Intellectual Property Dispute Response Support Projects" on Thursday, March 5, at 2:00 PM at the Science and Technology Convention Center (Gangnam-gu, Seoul). The briefing will introduce MOIP’s IP dispute response projects alongside export support programs from the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA), the Korea SMEs and Startups Agency (KOSME), and the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT). On-site consultations with IP experts will also be available.
*Companies and professional organizations, such as patent firms, wishing to attend may apply in advance through the Korea Intellectual Property Protection Agency (KOIPA) website (koipa.re.kr); on-site registration is also available.

The following shows a few of the major support programs for Korean companies' IP dispute resolution.


<Prevention of Korean Wave free-riding acts and blocking the production of counterfeit goods using advanced technology and providing relief for damage>
As exports of Korean consumer goods such as K-food and cosmetics increase, free-riding on the “Korean Wave (Hallyu)”—the global popularity of Korean culture and products—is spreading in various forms. Accordingly, local fact-finding surveys will be conducted to assess the current situation, and customized response strategies, such as overseas IP filings, enforcement actions, and litigation, will be provided to affected companies.

In addition, support will be provided to exporting SMEs for the introduction of anti-counterfeiting technologies* that make it difficult to produce counterfeit K-brand goods and allow consumers to easily verify product authenticity. To protect domestic consumers, an AI-based counterfeit appraisal support system will also be established to quickly determine whether goods are counterfeit and link the process to refunds.

*Anti-counterfeiting technologies: AI watermarking technology, optical interference technology, copy-protection patterns, IT-linked authenticity verification technology, etc.

Furthermore, in order to respond actively to counterfeit and imitation K-brand goods occurring overseas, the support limit for the “K-Brand Dispute Response Strategy” project will be expanded*, and support for blocking sales listings of counterfeit K-brand goods distributed on major online platforms around the world will continue to be promoted.

*K-Brand Dispute Response Strategy Support Limit: Up to KRW 40 million per company → KRW 50 million

<Support for responding to patent disputes involving non-practicing entities and new support for a AI-based trade secret management system >

As the threat of international patent disputes targeting Korean companies increases, starting this year, MOIP will expand the support limit* for the “Patent Dispute Response Strategy” project for advanced industries and strategic technologies, and will newly establish an AI-based trade secret and technology protection system.
*Support limit: Up to KRW 200 million per company per year → KRW 300 million

In addition, while helping companies prevent technology leakage in advance, consulting on trade secret dispute response strategies will be supported so that companies can respond actively when leakage occurs, and overseas patent trolls (NPEs*) will be detected early before lawsuits are filed, with information provided through the Intellectual Property Protection Comprehensive Portal (IP-NAVI).
*Non-Practicing Entity (NPE): An entity that generates profit by exercising patent rights (licensing, damage litigation) against manufacturing companies without actually manufacturing or selling products using the patented technology.

Meanwhile, MOIP has been operating 10 IP Centers in 8 countries* to provide on-site IP consultation and initial dispute response support in countries where Korean companies are actively exporting.
*United States (LA, Washington D.C.), China (Beijing, Guangzhou), Japan (Tokyo), Germany (Frankfurt), Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City), Thailand (Bangkok), India (New Delhi), Mexico (Mexico City)


Director General Park Jin-hwan of the Intellectual Property Dispute Settlement Division at MOIP, stated, "Intellectual property rights are a core means of protecting a company's technology and brand. We will continue to strengthen policy support so that so that Korean companies can respond proactively to IP disputes and have their rights fully protected."

Source: Ministry of Intellectual Property Public Relations > News