PCT National Phase
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PCT National Phase · Guide

One PCT number, full Korean entry.

EPO auto-fetch fills applicant, inventor and claim data automatically. The five-step flow to enter Korea before the 31-month deadline — written down by Korean attorneys.

The process

From PCT number to KIPO entry, in five steps.

You enter the PCT number and Korean applicant info. Publication-data fetch, translation and KIPO filing are handled by iphere.

  1. 01~1 minute

    EPO auto-fetch from your PCT number

    Enter your PCT application number or international publication number; iphere connects to the EPO public database in real time and pulls the applicant list, inventors, claims, drawings PDF and priority data.

    • PCT number (or publication number) — one line
    • Applicant and inventor list auto-populated
    • Title of the invention auto-populated
    • Claims and drawings PDF auto-attached
    • Priority data and 31-month deadline auto-calculated
    You do

    Enter the PCT application number (e.g. PCT/KR2023/012345) or publication number (e.g. WO2023/123456) — one line.

    iphere handles

    Auto-query EPO, populate applicants, inventors, claim/drawing PDFs, priority data, and calculate the 31-month deadline.

  2. 02~5 minutes

    Add Korea-specific information

    On top of the EPO data, Korea entry needs Korean-language applicant naming, a Korean title, and a Korean-resident representative. Suggested transliterations are offered for applicant names.

    • Confirm applicant Korean and English naming
    • Draft and review Korean title of the invention
    • Ownership shares for multi-applicant cases
    • Foreign applicants auto-routed through Korean attorney
    • Optional priority document upload if needed
    You do

    Confirm Korean / English applicant naming, the Korean title, and any supplementary inputs.

    iphere handles

    Auto-transliterate applicants to Korean, draft a Korean title, auto-assign a Korean attorney representative.

  3. 035–10 business days (depending on word count)

    Korean translation of claims

    Korean translation of claims, abstract and specification is the heart of national-phase entry. iphere's patent attorney team translates into KIPO format with the rate calculated by word count.

    • Korean translation of claims (required)
    • Korean translation of abstract (required)
    • Korean translation of the specification (required)
    • Drawing description translation (when applicable)
    • Word-count quote available before approval
    You do

    Confirm word count and the per-word rate, then approve translation.

    iphere handles

    Specialist patent attorneys and translators produce KIPO-format Korean translations with consistent terminology.

  4. 04~1 minute

    Pay & sign the POA

    Pay through Toss Payments and your case enters attorney review. The Power of Attorney is emailed to the applicant. KIPO's claim-count fees are calculated automatically.

    • Toss Payments checkout (card, easy-pay, transfer)
    • Base entry fee + translation + KIPO official fees combined
    • Per-claim KIPO fees calculated automatically
    • POA PDF auto-generated and emailed
    • Auto-collected after e-signature
    You do

    Pick a payment method; e-sign the POA email when it arrives.

    iphere handles

    Move case into review queue, generate and email the POA PDF, calculate KIPO fees by claim count.

  5. 053–5 business days

    Attorney review + KIPO entry

    An iphere Korean attorney reviews translation accuracy, claim consistency and bibliographic data, then files national-phase entry through KIPOnet.

    • Final accuracy and terminology consistency review
    • Claim format adjustments to Korean style (when needed)
    • National-phase entry through KIPOnet
    • Korean application number, entry date, official receipt
    • Examination-request and PPH timing alerts auto-scheduled
    You do

    Approve any translation refinements or formal amendments suggested by the attorney.

    iphere handles

    Final translation accuracy check, claim consistency review, KIPOnet entry, automatic Korean application-number ingestion.

Documents

One PCT number does most of the work.

Applicant, inventor, claims and drawings auto-fetch from EPO. What you actively prepare is the Korean applicant naming and the translation quote approval.

Required

PCT number / publication number

Format
Text (e.g. PCT/KR2023/012345 or WO2023/123456)
Note
A single line input triggers an EPO auto-fetch of applicants, inventors, claims and priority data.
Required

Korean applicant naming

Format
Name, address, contact (Korean + English)
Note
Foreign applicants are auto-populated in English from EPO; you can accept the Korean transliteration suggestion or enter your own.
Automated

Korean translation (claims, abstract, spec)

Format
Drafted by iphere attorneys
Note
KIPO-format Korean translation. Translation fee is billed per word count. Quote is shown before you approve.
Automated

Inventor information

Format
EPO auto-fetch
Note
Inventors listed in the PCT international publication are auto-populated. Edit only if there are omissions or changes.
Optional

Priority document

Format
PDF (issued by foreign IP office)
Note
If you already filed it during the PCT phase, no need to re-upload. Only required if KIPO requests it.
Automated

Power of Attorney (POA)

Format
PDF — auto-generated by iphere
Note
Emailed to applicant right after payment. E-sign only — no print or post.
Cautions

The 31-month deadline is everything.

PCT national-phase entry has an absolute 31-month deadline from the earliest priority date. The four points our attorneys emphasize most.

Must

Enter Korea within 31 months from earliest priority.

Korea applies a 31-month deadline from the earliest priority date. If PCT and priority dates coincide, it counts from the PCT filing date; otherwise from the priority date. Even one day past the deadline generally forfeits Korean rights.

Must

Translation accuracy = scope of protection.

In Korea, the scope of rights is determined by the Korean-language claims as filed. Mistranslations or inconsistent terminology can weaken your interpretation in litigation. iphere uses patent-specialist attorneys for translation and review to keep terminology consistent.

Watch

Claim amendments are possible within 1 month of entry.

If you want to file with claims that differ from the PCT version, amend within 1 month after entry. Miss this window and KIPO examines based on the PCT-stage claims — decide on amendments before entering.

Note

PPH speeds up examination dramatically.

If you have a positive IPRP from the IPEA or a granted case in another office, you can file PPH (Patent Prosecution Highway) and shorten examination to within 6 months. iphere attorneys check eligibility and guide you through filing.

Key dates

From entry to grant: 2–3 years on average.

Entry → procedural exam → request for examination → substantive exam → grant decision → registration fee. PCT entry timing works alongside the priority clock.

  1. Day 0 (Korean entry)

    Korean entry filed

    After attorney review, national-phase entry is filed through KIPOnet. Korean application number and entry date are issued.

  2. Entry +1 month

    Claim amendment window

    Within this window you can amend claims, refine the Korean translation, or file voluntary amendments. Afterwards KIPO examination proceeds.

  3. PCT filing date +3 years

    Examination request deadline

    Examination must be requested within 3 years of the filing date (= PCT international filing date). Without it the case lapses automatically — iphere reminds you in stages.

  4. 12–18 months after request

    Examination result (allowance or office action)

    First decision typically arrives in 12–18 months; within 6 months under PPH. Office actions are handled by attorney response drafts.

  5. Within 3 months of grant

    Registration fee deadline

    After a grant decision, the registration fee must be paid within 3 months — iphere prompts payment automatically.