Korea, ASEAN discuss cooperation on IP commercialization and AI copyright issues [Roundup]

[Financial News] South Korea and ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) discussed commercializing intellectual property (IP) and using it for finance and investment, as well as copyright issues arising from generative artificial intelligence (AI). This year, the focus extended beyond the potential convergence of AI and IP to the economic use and commercialization of intellectual property and expanded private-sector cooperation between South Korea and ASEAN.
The Federation of Intellectual Property Associations said it held the 2026 Korea-ASEAN Intellectual Property Cooperation Conference on the 11th at Hotel Naru Seoul MGallery in Mapo District, Seoul, hosted by the Presidential Council on Intellectual Property. Now in its fourth edition, the event drew around 220 attendees, including officials from major ASEAN countries and domestic and international IP experts.
The conference was held under the theme “Growth and Shared Prosperity for Korea and ASEAN Through a Major Transformation in Intellectual Property in the Age of AI.” Experts discussed industry conditions and institutional challenges in four areas: webtoons, IP monetization and commercialization, arts and culture entrepreneurship, and AI.
In his opening remarks, Federation of Intellectual Property Associations co-chair Won Hye-young said the convergence of AI and IP was changing the industrial structures of countries, stressing that the results of technological innovation could lead to tangible economic value only if they were properly protected through intellectual property systems and used fairly.
In his welcoming remarks, Kye Seung-gyun, private-sector chair of the Presidential Council on Intellectual Property, said exchanges between South Korea and ASEAN were expanding beyond trade in goods to high-value-added cooperation centered on intellectual property. He added that he hoped the experts’ opinions presented at the event would be linked to the policies of relevant ministries and lead to an institutional foundation for cooperation.
At the IP commercialization session, Lee Seok-hoon, a senior research fellow at the Korea Capital Market Institute, presented on the role of IP disclosure in enhancing corporate value and strategies for advancing IP finance. Christine Ng, an intellectual property valuation expert from Malaysia, introduced local examples of linking valuation with finance. Experts from various countries, including the Philippines, then discussed ways to develop institutions and market infrastructure for assessing the economic value of intellectual property and using it for finance and investment.
The AI session focused on the use of copyrighted works in training generative AI and compensation for creators. Experts from Singapore, Vietnam and other countries discussed intellectual property systems related to generative AI, as well as the use of AI-based legal and patent attorney services and related legal issues.
The webtoon session covered ways to expand overseas using IP and grow content businesses, while the arts and culture session addressed cases of entrepreneurship and commercialization using traditional cultural assets.
This year, an expert from Timor-Leste, which joined ASEAN as its 11th member in October last year, participated for the first time. The Timorese side presented challenges in establishing its intellectual property system and the potential uses of IP in the age of AI. With this participation, Timor-Leste was newly included in discussions on intellectual property cooperation between South Korea and ASEAN.
Jung Gap-yun, co-chair of the Federation of Intellectual Property Associations, said, “Going forward, we will continue private-sector exchanges and cooperation so that South Korea and ASEAN can share their experiences and strengths and expand opportunities for practical cooperation centered on the use and commercialization of intellectual property.”

[email protected] Kim Mi-hee Reporter