Date: November 3, 2005
Source: KIPO
Kimchi, Korea's traditional haute cuisine, is quite near a position on the Nice Classification that is an international classification of goods and services adopted by and applicable to most countries of the world for the international registration of marks. The Korean Intellectual Property Office (Commissioner: Kim Jong-Kap) revealed that the inclusion of the English-spelt "kimchi" in the Nice Classification scheduled for January 1, 2007, would help the food redeem its international recognition that has been tarnished by the safety issue of the Chinese-made kimchi. KIPO also said that the Nice-classified kimchi would get better access to the export market with its brand management becoming more efficient. Jeong Jin-dae, Director of the Trademark and Design Examination Bureau of KIPO, said, "Kimchi has been upgraded to a term definitely acknowledged in the international society by being named as one of international goods, following its inclusion in the Webster Dictionary."
The Nice Agreement entered into effect in 1957 and is so accepted by the 75 member countries that they acknowledge the goods nomenclature described in the Nice Classification as universally applicable in the trademark registration documents and procedures. It is usual that a trademark should specify the name(s) of goods to bear the mark, when the application is filed for the registration with a specific country. But the name can vary in accordance with the socio-cultural factors. The Nice Agreement was concluded for the purpose to unify the diversities using the designated languages (English and French) and, as a result, to increase the interests of applicants. The Nice Classification is de facto a universally applicable classification for goods and services that is referred to by non-member countries as well.
"Kimchi" was decided to fall under Class 29(New Goods) at the 20th Nice Classification Experts Meeting of the World Intellectual Property Office that ended on October 14 with only the procedural approval at the next year's WIPO General Convention left for the entry. The decision will promote the international position of "kimchi". It is thus expected that Koreans will get the trademark registrations abroad for the food products made from it more easily than before, which will lead to increased exports of kimchi.