The Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board (IPTAB) of the Korean Intellectual Property Office will actively implement its Trial-Mediation Link System starting this year. (Image courtesy of Korea Bizwire)
DAEJEON, March 25 (Korea Bizwire) – The Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board (IPTAB) of the Korean Intellectual Property Office announced on March 23 that it will actively implement its Trial-Mediation Link System starting this year, offering a new pathway for resolving patent disputes.
Under the new system, presiding judges can refer trial cases to mediation through the Industrial Property Dispute Mediation Committee, provided both parties consent. This alternative dispute resolution mechanism allows parties to conclude patent trials through mutual agreement during the trial stage.
“With trial examiners who possess high technical expertise and understanding participating as mediators, we expect faster resolution of intellectual property rights disputes,” said Seo Eul-soo, president of IPTAB. “We plan to expand this linked system through active promotion and procedural improvements.”
The program applies to various types of patent trials, including invalidity trials and scope confirmation trials. Parties can request mediation at any point during the proceedings with mutual consent. Once a mediation request is filed, the trial proceedings are suspended.
If mediation is successful, it carries the same legal effect as a court settlement. If mediation fails, the trial proceedings resume. Mediated cases receive separate case numbers, and trial examiners familiar with the case details serve as mediators, enabling expedited resolution.
To promote the system’s adoption, IPTAB will actively inform parties about the mediation option during inter-partes trial procedures. The office is also establishing a pool of trial examiners to serve as mediators to support swift processing of linked cases.
For user convenience, IPTAB will provide its trial courtroom facilities in Seogu, Daejeon, as a venue for mediation conferences.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
