The USPTO and Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) have signed a memorandum of understanding on patent cooperation.

According to a statement released by both offices, the MOU aims to promote work-sharing by harmonizing patent examination systems. Specific objectives include establishing a common search database and common classification system, training examiners together and using each other’s examination results.

KIPO Commissioner Jung-Sik Koh and USPTO director Jon Dudas signed the MOU during a bilateral meeting in Geneva, Switzerland on September 23.

In August KIPO also signed an agreement with IP Australia on mutual PCT international search authority (ISA) and international preliminary examination authority (IPEA) designation.

The agreement allows Australian applicants to choose in which office they want their PCT application examined. According to IP Australia, the agreement will come into effect in early 2009 and will be reviewed after two years.

IP Australia is already an international search and examination authority for 17 countries including the US, New Zealand, Singapore, India and Malaysia.

KIPO is already designated as a competent searching authority by a number of countries such as the USA, India, Singapore and New Zealand.