Patent Application
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Patent · Guide

From filing to grant, in one flow.

Specification preparation, KIPO filing, examination request, and grant — the five-step flow of a regular Korean patent application, written down by Korean attorneys.

The process

From input through KIPO filing to examination request.

You prepare the specification and applicant details. An attorney reviews everything; iphere automates the rest.

  1. 01~7–14 days (self-drafted)

    Prepare specification, claims & drawings

    The core materials of a regular patent filing. You can upload your own draft for attorney review, or commission attorney drafting from your idea materials.

    • Title (Korean, English optional)
    • Specification — field, background, problem, solution, embodiments
    • Claims — independent + dependent
    • Drawings — only when needed to explain
    • Abstract — under 200 characters
    You do

    Either prepare title, specification, claims, drawings and abstract, or upload core materials and commission attorney drafting.

    iphere handles

    Provide a drafting checklist and claim templates. For commissioned drafting, attorneys produce KIPO-ready documents.

  2. 02~5 minutes

    Enter applicant & inventor details

    Capture the applicant (individual or entity, the future rights holder) and inventor(s) (the natural persons who conceived the invention) in both Korean and English. Multi-applicant and multi-inventor are supported.

    • Applicant name, address, contact (Korean + English)
    • Business registration ID for entities, ID number for individuals
    • Inventor name, nationality, country of residence, address
    • Claim count (independent + dependent)
    • Expedited examination request and reason (optional)
    You do

    Fill applicant/inventor info, confirm claim count, decide on expedited examination.

    iphere handles

    Real-time validation, automatic KIPO fee calculation by claim count, expedited-exam justification template.

  3. 03~1 minute

    Pay & sign the POA

    Pay through Toss Payments and your case enters attorney review. The Power of Attorney is emailed to the applicant. Multi-case discounts and SME reductions apply automatically.

    • Toss Payments checkout (card, easy-pay, transfer)
    • KIPO official fee + attorney service fee, combined
    • SME / individual reductions auto-applied (up to 70%)
    • 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, apply reductions automatically.

  4. 043–5 business days

    Attorney final review + KIPO filing

    An iphere Korean patent attorney does a final review of the specification, claims and drawings, suggests amendments where needed, and files officially with KIPO's electronic system (KIPOnet).

    • Final review of specification, claims, drawings, abstract
    • KIPO format amendments (when needed)
    • Electronic filing through KIPOnet
    • Application number, filing date, official receipt
    • Expedited-exam justification filed simultaneously (when applicable)
    You do

    Review and approve any attorney-proposed amendments (usually minor formatting).

    iphere handles

    Specification check, claim clarification suggestions, KIPOnet electronic filing, automatic application-number ingestion.

  5. 05Up to 3 years to request / ~18–24 months to grant

    Request examination + respond to office actions

    Korea uses a separate request-for-examination system — you must request examination within 3 years of filing. When the examiner issues an office action (refusal), respond with arguments and amendments.

    • Request examination (within 3 years of filing — auto-reminders from iphere)
    • Instant alert when an office action is issued
    • Attorney drafts responses and amendments (separate fee)
    • Grant decision → 3 months to pay registration fee
    • After grant: annuity management starts annually
    You do

    Decide when to request examination; review and approve attorney response drafts when an office action arrives.

    iphere handles

    Auto-remind the request deadline, instant office-action alerts, attorney drafting of responses and amendments.

Documents

A regular patent filing needs five core documents.

Specification, claims, drawings and abstract define the invention; applicant and inventor info establish ownership. Attorney drafting is available as an add-on.

Required

Specification

Format
PDF · DOCX · HWP
Note
Field, background, problem, solution and embodiments in detail. Korean text. Commission attorney drafting to submit English source as-is.
Required

Claims

Format
PDF · DOCX · HWP
Note
Defines the scope of protection. Independent + dependent claims. KIPO charges per claim.
Optional

Drawings

Format
PDF · image (JPG · PNG)
Note
Only when needed to explain the invention. Hand sketches discouraged — clean line art or CAD output recommended.
Required

Abstract

Format
Text or document (≤200 characters)
Note
Concise summary of the invention. Drafted automatically when commissioning attorney drafting.
Required

Applicant & inventor info

Format
Name, address, contact (Korean + English)
Note
Applicant = the rights holder (individual or entity). Inventor = natural person(s) who conceived the invention. Multiple supported.
Automated

Power of Attorney (POA)

Format
PDF — auto-generated by iphere
Note
Emailed to applicant right after payment. Just e-sign — no printing or postage.
Cautions

In a patent, claims are the rights themselves.

Filing timing is decisive for regular patents. The four points our attorneys emphasize most.

Must

File before any public disclosure as a rule.

Patentability requires novelty and inventive step. Even your own disclosure can break novelty and trigger refusal. Korea grants a 12-month grace period after self-disclosure, but other jurisdictions may not. Always file before presentations, papers or public demos.

Must

Request examination within 3 years.

Korea uses a separate examination-request system: failing to request within 3 years of filing causes the application to lapse automatically. Late requests delay the grant date too. iphere sends staged reminders at 1, 2, 2.5 and 3 years.

Watch

Claims cannot be broadened after filing.

Post-filing amendments are limited to subject matter already in the specification. You cannot add new technical content during prosecution. So write the claims broadly enough — covering variations and alternatives — at the time of filing.

Note

Expedited examination cuts the wait to 6 months.

Cases meeting expedited criteria (public interest, commercial implementation, certified ventures, etc.) typically receive a first decision within 6 months instead of the normal 18–24. The KIPO expedited fee is added; iphere attorneys assess eligibility and prepare the justification.

Key dates

Filing to grant: 18–24 months on average.

Filing → request for examination → office action response → grant decision → registration fee. iphere sends staged reminders so deadlines never slip.

  1. Day 0

    Filing date secured

    After attorney review, your case is filed electronically through KIPOnet. Application number, filing date and receipt are issued.

  2. Day +18 months

    Application publication (automatic)

    18 months after filing, KIPO publishes the application automatically — third parties can read its content from this point.

  3. Within 3 years

    Examination request deadline

    Examination must be requested within 3 years of filing. Without it the application lapses automatically. iphere reminds you in stages.

  4. 12–18 months after request

    First examination result (grant or office action)

    First office action or allowance typically arrives within 12–18 months of the request — within 6 months under expedited examination. 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 for the patent to register. Missed payment voids the case — iphere prompts payment automatically.