Korea

16
Country starter pack
Introduction to Korea
Intellectual property (IP)
Korea’s intellectual property (IP) laws are comprehensive,
and the authorities and processes are becoming
increasingly efficient. The protection offered to foreign
and domestic rights owners is of a high standard. Korea
also has an impressive track record in patent related
indices. Korea recorded the fifth largest number of IP
rights applications in the world during 2013, following
China, US, Germany, and Japan according to the World
Intellectual Property Organisation. The country was
ranked fourth in the world for patent applications, third
for designs, and came 10th for trade mark applications.
1.3 KOREA AND AUSTRALIA: THE
BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP
The first known contact between Australia and Korea
occurred in 1889, with the landing of Australian
missionaries at Busan. But the relationship did not start
to develop until after 1947 when Australia participated
in the United Nations (UN) Commissions on Korea and
then in the Korean War (1950–53). More than 18,000
Australian troops served under UN command and 340
died during the Korean War.
Korea’s first diplomatic mission in Australia was set up
in 1953 with the opening of its Consulate-General in
Sydney. The Sydney mission was elevated to Embassy
status in 1961 when full diplomatic relations between
Korea and Australia were established (the Korean
Embassy was later relocated to Canberra). In June 1962,
Australia opened an embassy in Seoul.
The establishment of diplomatic bases set the foundation
for the growth of strong economic, political, and strategic
connections between Australia and Korea from the
1960s. People-to-people links, supported by a large
Australian Korean community, are positive and increasing,
and the bilateral trade and investment relationship has
also gone from strength to strength.
Australia’s booming trade relationship with Korea
has its origins in the 1960s, when Korea’s post-war
industrialisation drive started to fuel its demand for raw
materials. But it was in later decades, as Korea began
to establish itself as a global industrial powerhouse,
particularly in the major export-driven industries –
notably automobile making, ship building, petroleum
refining, industrial machinery, and consumer electronics
– that the Australia Korea trade relationship began to
take off. As Korea’s demand for mineral resources and
other commodities soared, Australia became a major
supplier to the next Asian miracle.
Soon enough, as Korea became better and better at
manufacturing, new consumer brand names began
appearing in Australian retail showrooms and on store
shelves. Names like Hyundai, Kia, Samsung, and LG
began to give Toyota, Nissan, Sony, and Panasonic a
serious run for their money in the hearts and minds of
Australian consumers – a situation that continues today.