Source: KIPO
Date: 2009. 12. 23

For the first time, as government agency, the Korea Intellectual Property Office (KIPO-Commissioner: Jung-Sik, Koh) is expected to diversify the methods of patent fee payment; fee mileage, credit card installment payment, prepayment discount of annuity payment, and five-year installment payment of trademark registration (to be valid from Jun. 2010), giving varied selective rooms for customers from Jan. 2010. 

Now that customers can choose from a wide selection of patent fee payment, they are expected to be less burdened and face fewer inconveniences in making payments. In addition, the diversified payment system will contribute to the promotion of the protection of customer rights by preventing any additional payment or forfeiture caused by the extended period of payment. 

More detailed description of the new tailored fee payment system is as follows: 
First, under the Fee Mileage System, some portions of patent fees paid to KIPO will turn into mileage which will be deducted from the patent fee amount to be paid or an application for patent assistance projects of KIPO will have points added. 
* Targeted Customers: Individuals with issued number of applicant code at home and abroad or any domestic SMEs. 

Second, the current lump-sum based credit card payment will allow two/three-month interest free installments; reducing customer burdens and the credit card payment for foreign customers will be improved by allowing them to pay some PCT international application fees through credit cards issued by foreign banks. 

Third, customers paying their years of annuity payment on a lump-sum basis will have special benefits and annuity payment pre-payment discount system will be introduced, aiming to reduce customer burdens of checking the annuity payment deadline every year. Customers who make an advance lump-sum payment of three-years in annuity payment will benefit from a 5% discount on the total amount of annuity payment. 

Fourth, customers currently have had to pay ten years of trademark registration fees on a lump-sum basis. However, when the installment payment of trademark registration fees is introduced from Jun. 2010, customers can pay the first ratio of trademark registration fees while applying for the registration and the second ratio can be paid before the trademark terms are terminated within five years. 

Finally, the existing trademarks term renewal application system shall be improved and simplified from Jun. 2010, allowing customers to extend their patent term without any assessment period if they pay trade registration fees within the renewal period and submit the renewal registration application form. Under the new application system, the current renewal registration application fees will be abolished and renewal registration fees are to be paid while applying for trademark renewal registration. 

KIPO, which is run based on patent fees paid by customers, will put forth every effort to deal with any difficulties or inconveniencies stemming from patent fee payment process and create customer-oriented payment system.