SINGAPORE: The governments of Singapore and South Korea announced they would implement a pilot Patent Prosecution Highway (PPH) program, a collaboration between both countries, on January 1, 2013. Chief Executive of the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) Yih San and the Korean Intellectual Property Office (KIPO) Commissioner Kim Ho-Won have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) oh the PPH pilot, as well as a MoU on comprehensive Intellectual Property (IP) cooperation. Both MoUs were signed at the sidelines of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) General Assemblies held in Geneva on Wednesday. The MoU on cooperation in the field of IP establishes an overarching framework that aims to improve the administration and effectiveness of IP systems in both offices. The second MoU on the PPH program aims to improve work efficiency and patent quality by sharing search and examination results between the two IP offices. This will allow applicants in both countries to obtain corresponding patents faster and more efficiently. BG (NS) Tan Yih San, IPOS' Chief Executive said: “Patent applicants and stakeholders in both countries will benefit from the fast track examination provided by the PPH pilot program. Not only will it enhance patent efficiency and quality, it will also promote technology innovation and economic development in both countries. This is a positive step towards building Singapore as an IP hub for the region.”
