In case when Substantial Examination has been requested:

Q1. How long may it still take for the examination result to be issued?

A1. Usually, it takes typically twelve (12) to eighteen (18) months for the examination result to be issued from a request for a substantial examination.

The period mentioned above is an average estimation, and it may vary depending on various factors, such as the complexity of the invention, the workload of the examiner, and a backlog of pending applications. Therefore, the actual period for issuing the examination result may be shorter or longer than the estimated period.

Q2. Is it possible to expedite the process of examination?

A2. By request for an accelerated examination, it is possible to expedite the examination process and shorten the overall examination period.

An accelerated examination can be requested for patent applications requiring urgent processing, such as a patent application being implemented by a third party without permission, a patent application in the defense industry, a patent application directly related to green technology, and a patent application to which the Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) system can be applied, etc.

Additionally, as one of the methods for requesting an accelerated examination from the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO), an accelerated examination can be requested by submitting a search report made by a specialized institution specified by the Commissioner of the KIPO. This method may be an option when meeting the requirements for an accelerated examination, such as the PPH system, is challenging.

By using this method, the examination period may take slightly longer than the regular accelerated examination. Specifically, the examination results through this method are typically issued after approximately eight (8) to nine (9) months from a request for an accelerated examination.

Q3. What about the cost of an accelerated examination?

A3. An accelerated examination costs about USD 200.00 for the Official Fee. If using the above-mentioned method, about USD 300.00 ~ 400.00 for commission for a specialized institution will be added.

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