Laos and South Korea have agreed to allow South Korean companies to register their patent in Laos without going through a separate review process.
The Department of Intellectual Property of Laos and the Korean Intellectual Property Office have signed a memorandum of understanding on 29 June to launch the “Patent Recognition Program.”
Under the program, which came in effect on 1 July, South Korean firms are able to have their patent registered and recognized in Laos within six months with just a simple submission of documents if already registered back in South Korea.
The two countries have worked together since November last year in the field of intellectual property rights, with South Korea helping Laos introduce a system for patent attorneys and providing relevant educational programs to Lao government officials.
Laos became the second country in Southeast Asia that inked such an agreement with South Korea.
Cambodia launched the same program in November last year.
