By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee
 

KIPO (Korean Intellectual Property Office) Commissioner Kim Wan-ki held high-level talks with Undersecretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Industry Mohammed bin Hassan Al-Malki at the Qatar Ministry of Commerce and Industry and signed a “Strategic Partnership Program on Establishing a National Intellectual Property Strategy and Strengthening Capabilities” on July 6 (Qatar local time).

Qatar is accelerating its transition to a knowledge-based economy based on the ‘Qatar National Vision 2030’ in order to break away from its oil-dependent economic structure, and has decided to collaborate with Korea, which has a leading intellectual property system as a member of the ‘IP5’ (five leading intellectual property powers), to build an intellectual property infrastructure to support this transition.

The cooperation document signed this time includes capacity-building measures such as establishing a national intellectual property strategy that includes analysis of Qatar's intellectual property-related laws, systems, and environment, as well as goals for intellectual property creation, utilization, and protection, and operating customized education programs.

In particular, the foundation for future cooperation in the field of intellectual property has been laid through the dispatch of experts and consultations by specialized institutions for the establishment of a national intellectual property strategy.

Commissioner Kim and Undersecretary Al-Malki agreed to swiftly advance follow-up measures for the establishment of Qatar's national intellectual property strategy based on the strategic partnership program signed on the same day.

Commissioner Kim said, “Establishing a strategic partnership with Qatar, a traditional energy and construction cooperation partner of Korea, in the field of intellectual property has become an opportunity to broaden the scope of cooperation between the two countries.”

He added, “The Korean Intellectual Property Office will continue to actively spread the Korean Wave of intellectual property around the world and strive to create a favorable intellectual property environment for overseas export companies.”