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

Lawyers eagerly await news of what IP specialist Sir Colin Birss will bring to one of the England and Wales judiciary’s most important roles
María Aurora García of Berken IP explains how intellectual property rights holders can use customs monitoring and online enforcement tools to identify parallel imports and support compliance with consumer protection rules
The Jakarta-based firm says personal networks and a distinctive strategy can help it guide foreign clients through what can be a tricky IP landscape
Munich litigation boutique formed by former Taylor Wessing partners continues expansion as it seeks to cement its position in the UPC market
Yvonne Tang and Siau Wen Lim, the second and third IP specialists to sit on the firm’s management committee, say IP is ‘uniquely positioned’ to support cross-practice work
As competing firms come under common ownership, clients may care less about formal conflicts and more about how openly firms discuss them
Facing increased lateral movement and in-house competition, firms are investing in flexible billing hours and tailored career progression to improve associate retention
As the US reflects on 250 years of independence, patent lawyers say innovation is reshaping old hiring priorities, with firms seeking broader IP expertise over specialisation
The Nokia v Acer ruling in the UK suggests arbitration is moving from the sidelines towards the mainstream of global FRAND disputes - and could reshape forum strategy in the process
The Life Sciences Awards is thrilled to present the shortlist for the 2026 Americas Awards
Gift this article