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As global competition in technology intensifies, securing patent rights quickly has become a key competitive advantage for companies, alongside technological development itself. Many major jurisdictions have therefore introduced various measures to reduce examination delays and enable applicants to obtain patent protection more quickly. In line with this trend, the Ministry of Intellectual Property (MOIP) operates a "Super-Accelerated Patent Examination" system that significantly shortens the ordinary examination timeline. Below, we provide an overview of the "Super-Accelerated Patent Examination" system set out in Article 4(2) of Korea's Public Notice on Requests for Accelerated Examination of Patent and Utility Model Applications.
1. Comparison of Processing Times by Examination Type
According to MOIP, it takes an average of about 14.7 months from the filing of a Korean patent application to receive the first examination result, and about 21 months on average to receive a final decision, whether grant or refusal. By comparison, accelerated examination generally results in a final decision in about 4 months or more, while a super-accelerated examination can reduce the time to a final decision to about 2 months.
| NO |
Item |
Ordinary Examination |
Accelerated Examination |
Super-Accelerated Examination |
| 1 |
Time to first examination result |
About 14.7 months
|
2 months + α |
1 month |
| 2 |
Request procedure |
Request for examination
|
Request for accelerated examination
+ decision to grant request |
Request for super-accelerated examination
+ decision to grant request |
| 3 |
Expected timing of first examination result for request filed on January 5, 2026 |
March 2027
|
Before March 31, 2026 |
Before February 10, 2026 |
| 4 |
Time to final decision |
21 months |
4 months + α |
2 months |
2. Eligibility for Super-Accelerated Examination
A super-accelerated examination is not available for all patent applications, and may only be requested if an application falls within one of the following three categories:
| NO |
Item |
Description |
Relevant Provision(Public Notice on Requests for Accelerated Examination of Patent and Utility Model Applications) |
| 1 |
Applications related to export promotion |
• Applications for which objective evidence of export-related activity can be provided, such as export records, export contracts, or letters of credit
• Special provision - SMEs and mid-sized enterprises selected within the past 3 years for (i) the Global IP Start-up Program, (ii) the IP Risk Response Capability Strengthening Program for Export-Challenging Enterprises, (iii) the Patent Dispute Response Capability Support Program, (iv) the Ministry of SMEs and Startups' Global Enterprise Collaboration Program, (v) the Global Accelerating Program, or (vi) the Korea Startup Center's Overseas Expansion Support Program may apply by submitting a selection confirmation letter or agreement without a separate certificate of export performance
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Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 2, Item (Da) |
| 2 |
Advanced technology
+ Korean application serving as the basis for a priority claim |
• Must fall within a designated advanced-technology field such as semiconductors, displays, secondary batteries, biotechnology, AI, or advanced robotics
• The Korean application must serve as the basis for a priority claim in an overseas application (i.e., the overseas application must have already been filed)
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Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 2, Items (Ah) and (Reo) |
| 3 |
Advanced technology
+ startup / venture / Inno-Biz enterprise |
• Must fall within an advanced-technology field such as AI or biotechnology
• The applicant must be a startup company, venture enterprise, or Inno-Biz-certified enterprise |
Paragraph 1, Subparagraph 2, Item (Reo) + the original applicant must include a startup company |
3. Procedure for Requesting Super-Accelerated Examination
To request a super-accelerated examination, the applicant must separately submit a Statement of Request for Accelerated Examination (Public Notice Form No. 6) demonstrating that the application qualifies for the super-accelerated examination. Specifically, the applicant must demonstrate, through export contracts, documents relating to international standardization procedures, product catalogs, product descriptions, or similar materials, that the claims of the application are directly related to the product being exported or to the subject matter of the relevant support program. General evidence of the company's overall sales alone is insufficient.
4. Practical Implications
For startups, securing patent rights at an early stage can be strategically important for entering global markets and protecting their technology. Companies operating in advanced-technology fields such as AI, biotechnology, and semiconductors should therefore consider making active use of the super-accelerated examination system. However, once a patent has been registered, the claims can no longer be amended. Accordingly, after a decision to grant is issued, applicants should consider filing a divisional application to preserve flexibility in responding to future changes in the business environment, such as the emergence of imitation products.
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