Insights

The Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH, 특허심사하이웨이) in Korea is not a separate system. It is one type of accelerated examination (expedited examination, 우선심사). The applicant files a written request for accelerated examination and pays the fee for request for accelerated examination of KRW 200,000.

Accelerated examination (우선심사; expedited examination) in Korea is not available on payment of an official fee alone. The application must fall under one of the grounds for a request that are set by law.

In 2025, the average first action pendency (심사처리기간) for patent and utility model applications in Korea was 14.7 months. This is the time from the request for examination to the first action of the examiner. [3]

The deadline for a request for examination of a Korean patent application is three years from the filing date (Patent Act (특허법), Art. 59(2)).

Yes. The specification and the captions in the drawings can be written in English. English is the only foreign language allowed.

Yes. In Korea, the authority of an agent must be proved in writing, and that writing is the power of attorney (위임장) (Patent Act, Art. 7).

A Korean patent application consists of a written patent application, a specification, an abstract and any necessary drawings. A power of attorney is added when an agent takes the procedure.

Yes, but only 1 month later, and only if the extension was requested within the time limit.

The deadline for entry into the Korean national phase of a PCT international application is 2 years and 7 months (31 months) from the priority date. [1]

Korean patent annual fees are counted from the date of registration of the grant of the patent (the registration date), not from the filing date. No annual fees are due while the application is pending.