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The intellectual property industry

Published: 19 Feb. 2012, 20:57

The Presidential Council on Intellectual Property, where I am one of the nongovernment members, designated 2012 as the first year of the intellectual property power. The government recognized the importance of intellectual property and passed the Framework Act on Intellectual Property in May 2011 to begin establishing national plans.

It is very important to provide education on the concept of intellectual property to average citizens. It is especially desirable to begin that education from a young age before they establish certain views. Therefore, it should be included in the core curriculum from elementary school. The Framework Act on Intellectual Property requires curricula to include education on intellectual property, but schools have yet to prepare instruction on the issue.

Along with education on intellectual property, the government also needs to establish a system to market and trade good intellectual properties.

A member of the Korea Women Inventors Association who runs a food business registered the brand “How Do You Do” to use for a new product, and a company offered to buy the name from her to use it for their soy product. She sold the name for 5 million won ($4,440). It is a classic case of intellectual property trade.

Korea has meager natural resources but is blessed with quality human resources. When young Koreans have a hard time finding jobs because of sluggish economic conditions, the government could partially resolve the unemployment issue by assisting and encouraging them to market their creativity and knowledge. It is my dream to see Korea as a country with powerful innovation based on world-class intellectual property and creativity.

Han Mi-young, the president of World Women Inventors and Entrepreneurs Association