Ministry of Intellectual Property and Patent Court of Korea to Hold International Conference on AI and Standard-Essential Patents

[Financial News] As global intellectual property (IP) disputes intensify amid rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and cutting-edge technologies, a forum has been organized for judicial and administrative intellectual property agencies to join forces and discuss international legal issues.
The Ministry of Intellectual Property and the Patent Court of Korea said they jointly hosted the 2026 Patent Court of Korea–Ministry of Intellectual Property International Conference on the morning of the 4th at the Sofitel Ambassador Seoul Hotel & Serviced Residences in Songpa District, Seoul. The conference was the first event jointly planned and hosted by the Ministry, the administrative agency responsible for granting and registering intellectual property rights, and the Patent Court, a specialized judicial institution. It was organized to examine from multiple angles international issues such as disputes over standard-essential patents (SEPs), a key topic amid competition for technological supremacy, and disputes over intellectual property rights related to generative AI, and to share practical experience from various countries in resolving disputes effectively.
IP-specialist judges from Korea and abroad, along with representatives from academia and industry, attended the event and held in-depth discussions on standards for determining patent infringement in a rapidly changing high-tech environment and reasonable dispute resolution procedures through arbitration and mediation.
In recent years, disputes over the licensing of standard-essential patents (SEPs) covering advanced industries such as 5G and autonomous driving have surged, alongside questions about whether AI-generated works qualify for copyright or patent protection. Concerns have persisted that legal uncertainty facing Korean companies operating in global markets is growing, as judicial and administrative bodies in different countries apply varying standards for determining IP infringement related to AI and calculating damages.
At the opening ceremony, Jeong Yeon-woo, vice minister at the Ministry of Intellectual Property, said, “Amid increasingly acute intellectual property disputes, the value of creative effort and technological innovation must be properly respected,” adding, “We will continue to strengthen cooperation between the Ministry of Intellectual Property and the Patent Court of Korea so that our companies can compete fairly and be protected on the global stage.”
[email protected] Kim Won-jun Reporter