USPTO and KIPO Announce KIPO’s Full Expansion of the Cooperative Patent Classification System

USPTO and KIPO Announce KIPO’s Full Expansion of the Cooperative Patent Classification System

KIPO to fully classify patent applications and utility models using Cooperative Patent Classification System

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Commerce’s United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) today announced a major expansion of cooperation in classification activities between the USPTO and KIPO. The agreement, signed by the heads of the two offices during a bilateral meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, is designed to improve the patent granting process through streamlined access to patent documentation. Through this cooperation, KIPO will greatly expand the number of documents included in the Cooperative Patent Classification (CPC) system by fully classifying its patent applications and utility models.