History
KIM & CHO : A Timeline of Korean IP
A Legacy of Intellectual Property Law in Korea IP History
Kim & Cho's history (“The Beginning of Korean IP: Korean IP Advocates Since 1953”) is deeply interwoven with the story of intellectual property in Korea. From the nation's first steps in IP to its current status as a global innovator, we have been there, guiding and growing alongside our clients.
The Dawn of Korean IP (1945 – 1970)
This era saw the foundation of both Korea's modern intellectual property system and KIM&CHO.
- 1953
Kim Ui-chang and Cho Sun-hwang jointly initiated intellectual property legal services and handled the first foreign patent and trademark applications in Korea, filed in November 1953.
The very first set of foreign applications processed in 1953 consisted of 6 patent applications and 8 trademark applications. All 14 of these pioneering applications were handled by Kim & Cho.
- 1954
The firm was formally renamed Kim & Cho Patent Law Office.
- 1961
Comprehensive new IP laws were enacted: the Patent Act, Utility Model Act, Design Act, and Trademark Act.
- 1979
Establishment of the Korean Patent Office (KPO).
Handling the First Foreign Patent Applications (1953)
In 1953, only six foreign patent applications were filed in Korea. The first applications among them were two chemical-related patent applications submitted on April 14, 1953 by a U.S. company, both handled by KIM&CHO. These cases marked the beginning of foreign patent activity in Korea, with KIM&CHO at the forefront.
- Method for producing pesticides using polycyclic halogenated carbohydrates and their derivatives
- Method for producing polycyclic insecticides by diene synthesis
Pioneers in Foreign Trademark Filings (1953–1954)
Of the 154 total trademark applications filed in Korea in 1953, only 8 were from foreign applicants—all filed and registered through KIM&CHO. By 1954, the number of foreign trademark filings rose significantly to 107 out of 261 total applications, the majority of which were also managed by KIM&CHO.
These included trademarks from globally renowned companies such as: IBM, Coca-Cola, Pyrex, Delmont, Victor, RCA, Symons, and Caltex, many of which remain active in Korea today. Remarkably, many of these trademarks are still protected in Korea today, a testament to our enduring role as trusted IP counsel for the world's most prestigious brands.
Notably, the Coca-Cola bottle design trademark was also registered as a trademark through KIM&CHO, symbolizing one of the most iconic moments in Korea's trademark history.
Representative Historical Foreign Trademark Filings
- Combandrin (40-1953-0000202) & Syngesterone (40-1953-0000203) (November 23, 1953)
The first foreign (U.S.) pharmaceutical trademark ever registered in Korea. - Obron (40-1953-0000218) (December 14, 1953) By Pfizer
- Coca-Cola Bottle Design & letter Trademark (1954)
A historic filing that remains an enduring symbol of global branding in Korea.