LG Electronics Files Most Int'l Patents in Korea

LG Electronics had the highest international patent output in Korea during the first half of this year. According to the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the number of international patent applications filed in Korea as of the end of June from January was 3,190, up 23.4 percent from the same period last year.
LG Electronics filed 406 international patent applications, followed by Samsung Electronics with 318. The third-placed company was LG Chem, followed by the Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute and the Seoul National University Industry Foundation, KIPO said. By sector, the IT sector including electronics and electrical engineering, information and telecommunications has the highest output with 1,393 applications, followed by chemistry and biotechnology sector with 734 and mechanical and metal engineering with 480.

"The increase rate in the international patent output in the first half this year tops those of the past five years at 20.9 percent,” KIPO said. It says this is because Korean companies have expanded their investment in research and development and are striving to protect their patented technologies abroad.

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