United Arab Emirates and South Korea sign MoU

Managing IP is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 1-2 Paris Gardens, London, SE1 8ND

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2026

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

United Arab Emirates and South Korea sign MoU

The memorandum of understanding sets the stage for the UAE to set up a patent unit within the Ministry of Economy by the end of the year

Under the memorandum, examiners from the Korean IP Office (KIPO) will visit the UAE and help with the examination of its patents. KIPO’s examiners are expected to examine over 2,000 applications by the end of the year.

UAE patent applications undergo substantive examination, but they are not handled in-house. Rather, they are examined by the Austrian patent office.

In addition, KIPO will help the UAE establish the patent unit in the Ministry of Economy. The patent unit is expected to provide training for patent professionals in the UAE, as well as engage in information exchange programmes with international counterparts.

The memorandum was signed by UAE undersecretary of the Ministry of Economy Mohammad Ahmad Bin Abdul Aziz Al Shehi and Kim Young-min, KIPO’s commissioner.

Last year, Kim spoke with Managing IP about his plans for making intellectual property an integral part of Korea’s economic growth. Click here for the interview.

more from across site and SHARED ros bottom lb

More from across our site

Our latest update also includes the latest case filing statistics, and an update on how a transatlantic merger could be a UPC opportunity for the US half of the partnership
New partners, from biotech company Leyden Labs and Novartis, take the total number of partner hires to 12 since the firm took on external investment in late 2024
Labelled the ‘largest law firm merger in history’, the new outfit could also spell an opportunity for US clients to capitalise on Hogan Lovells' UPC expertise
Andy Lee and Amy Brooks of Brandsmiths explain how the firm secured a win for Peppa Pig over rival children’s character Wolfoo, in a case that centred on copied audio clips
Pedro Moreira outlines proposals by INPI that look set to open a discussion regarding biological materials, extracts, sequences, genetically edited plants, and computer programs
The combined firm, which has a newly appointed IP partner in London, brings together more than 3,500 practitioners across 52 offices, with flagship hubs in Seattle, London, Sydney and New York
A host of SEP-rich law firms, both leading arguments and as intervenors, are set to feature in the UK Supreme Court’s third FRAND episode, though one ground of appeal has been settled
Law firms are investing in generative engine optimisation and boosting their online presence in the hope of gaining a new client base
A decision on a licensing rate payable by Warner Bros and Paramount, and a survey outlining UK businesses’ lack of IP preparation ahead of launching abroad, were among other major talking points
A fresh wave of deals highlights why investors favour IP firms and why independent outfits may soon have to rethink their strategy
Gift this article