- Application stage
The applicant shall file anyone right of invention right, patent right, invention right for utility model or patent right for utility model regarding one invention.
The applicant may require to change patent right into invention right, invention right into invention right for utility model or patent right into patent right for utility model.
All of the necessary documents for filing may be submitted to the Invention Administrative Department of the DPR Korea within 3 months from the applicant date.
- Examination stage
Examination on application for registration of invention right or patent right includes formal examination and substantive examination. The term of formal examination is 3 months from the application date and the term of substantive examination is 6 months from the application date in case of utility model and 15 months at least from the application date in case of patent.
The DPR Korea enforces an automatic examination system which automatically enters the substantive examination phase without request of the applicant after the formal examination is completed.
The term of protection of patent right is 15 years from the date of application for registration of patent right and the term may be extended by 5 years upon the request of the applicant.