Trademark Renewal in South Korea

Keep Your South Korean Trademark Protection Active

A South Korean trademark registration lasts 10 years and must be renewed to stay in force. Our team at Brealant tracks your renewal deadlines and manages the filing with KIPO so your protection never lapses.

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Essential Guide to Trademarks in South Korea

Protecting Your Brand with Brealant's Expertise

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Legal Definition of Trademark Renewal
Renewal, under the Trademark Act of Korea, is the payment of the prescribed fee to KIPO to extend a registration for a further 10-year term.
Purpose and Function of Renewal
As in many jurisdictions, South Korea does not require proof of continued use to renew — timely payment of the renewal fee alone keeps the registration in force.
Protecting Your Trademark
A missed renewal causes the registration to lapse, and because Korea operates on a first-to-file basis, a lapsed mark can potentially be filed by someone else, so ongoing tracking matters.

A Hassle-Free Registration Journey with Brealant

Contact
Reach out to Brealant to set up renewal tracking for your South Korean trademark portfolio.
Search
We confirm the registration details and ownership are current before renewal.
Quote
Receive a fixed-fee quote for managing your renewal.
Pay
Proceed with secure payment for the official renewal fee and our professional fee.
File
Brealant submits the renewal request to KIPO.
Wait
KIPO processes the renewal and updates the register.
Response
You receive confirmation once the renewal is recorded.

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Clear, Simple Steps to Renew Your Trademark

In South Korea, renewal falls due on the 10-year anniversary of registration. KIPO accepts renewal requests up to one year before expiry and offers a grace period of around six months after expiry, with a surcharge, before the registration lapses.

Safeguarding Your Trademark in South Korea — With Brealant by Your Side

A lapsed trademark loses its registered status and, in a first-to-file jurisdiction like Korea, can potentially be re-filed by someone else, so missing a renewal can mean losing your brand protection entirely. Brealant's renewal tracking removes that risk from your calendar.

Limitations

What Renewal Cannot Do

Renewal keeps a registration alive, but it has boundaries

No Substantive Changes
Renewal cannot be used to change the mark itself, or add new goods or services.
Grace Period Only
The post-expiry grace period is the outer limit — after that, the registration lapses and cannot simply be reinstated.
Doesn't Fix Non-Use
Renewal doesn't protect against a separate non-use cancellation trial if the mark hasn't genuinely been used.
Doesn't Expand Protection
Renewal maintains existing rights; it doesn't broaden the scope of protection beyond what was originally registered.
Ownership Must Be Current
Renewal doesn't update ownership records — any assignment must be separately recorded with KIPO if the owner has changed.

Brealant reviews your registration details as part of every renewal to flag any of these issues early.

What a Trademark Renewal Protects

Renewal keeps the full benefit of your original registration in place, including

Exclusive Nationwide Rights
Your continued exclusive right to use the mark across South Korea for the registered goods/services.
Your Filing Date
The priority and seniority attached to your original filing date.
Enforcement Standing
Your ability to take infringement or opposition action based on a live registration.
Brand Value
The accumulated goodwill and recognition built up under a continuously registered mark.

Renewal is a simple administrative step that preserves everything your original registration achieved.

Timeline for Trademark Renewal in South Korea

Renewal follows a straightforward, date-driven process

Renewal Window Opens
KIPO accepts renewal requests up to one year before the expiry date.
Reminder & Instruction
Brealant notifies you well ahead of the deadline and confirms instructions.
Filing & Payment
The renewal request and fee are submitted to KIPO.
Grace Period (If Needed)
A grace period of around six months after expiry generally remains available, with a surcharge, before lapse.

Renewal itself is typically processed by KIPO within a matter of weeks of a complete request.

Understanding Trademark Renewal Costs in South Korea — Simplified with Brealant

Renewal costs are predictable and modest compared to re-filing from scratch

Official Filing Fees
The KIPO renewal fee is typically in the region of ₩300,000 to ₩400,000 per class, plus a surcharge if renewed during the grace period.
Professional fees
Brealant's fee for managing the renewal is fixed and quoted in advance, covering tracking, filing, and confirmation.

These costs are far lower than the cost of losing protection and having to re-clear and re-file the mark from scratch.

Brealant support specialist providing continued trademark support

Continued Trademark Protection in South Korea — Supported by Brealant

Beyond renewal, Brealant can support ongoing monitoring for conflicting new applications, licensing arrangements, and enforcement, so your registration keeps working for your business well beyond each renewal date.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What happens if I miss my South Korean trademark renewal?

You generally have a grace period of around six months after expiry to renew with a surcharge; after that, the registration lapses from the register.

Do I need to prove I'm still using the mark to renew?

No, South Korea does not require evidence of use for renewal — payment of the fee is sufficient.

How early can I renew?

KIPO accepts renewal requests up to one year before the expiry date.

Can Brealant renew a trademark it didn't originally file?

Yes, we can take over renewal management for existing South Korean registrations regardless of who filed the original application.

How much does it cost to renew a trademark in South Korea?

The renewal fee for a trademark in South Korea is typically in the region of ₩300,000 to ₩400,000 per class, though we confirm the exact figure before filing.

What documents are needed to renew a South Korean trademark?

Renewal generally requires the registration details of the mark and payment of the renewal fee — no specimen of use or declaration of use needs to be filed.

Can I renew only some of the classes covered by my registration?

Yes, where a registration covers multiple classes, renewal can be requested for a subset of those classes rather than the entire registration.

Does KIPO re-examine the mark when I renew it?

No, renewal in South Korea is a formality-only process — KIPO does not re-run substantive examination or reassess conflicts with other marks at renewal.

What if my company's name or address has changed since the original registration?

Any change of owner name or address should be recorded with KIPO, ideally before or alongside renewal, to keep the register accurate and avoid delays.

Does Brealant provide renewal deadline monitoring?

Yes, we can track upcoming South Korean renewal dates and notify you well ahead of the deadline so nothing is missed.