Korean Patent Associates: Communication, Reporting and Billing Standards

A foreign patent firm needs Korean counsel to provide accurate dates, procedural status and substantive advice in a form that can be docketed and reported to the client. Sending an official document without explaining the required action is not sufficient.

Communication, reporting and billing requirements should be agreed when the relationship begins and recorded in the engagement and matter-opening instructions.

Acknowledgment and completion of instructions

A material instruction should be acknowledged. For a deadline instruction, the acknowledgment should confirm the application, action requested, Korean due date and whether the firm has the documents and authority needed to proceed.

If an instruction is ambiguous, Korean counsel should identify the point requiring clarification, explain its procedural or substantive effect and state the recommended course or the specific decision needed. Work that can safely proceed should be distinguished from work that requires further authority.

After filing or completing the action, the report should state what was done, attach the relevant receipt or document and identify any remaining item.

Deadline reports

A deadline report should state:

• the official Korean due date;
• Korea Standard Time when same-day timing may matter;
• whether the period is fixed by statute or by an official notice;
• whether an extension appears available and the rule supporting it;
• the requested instruction date; and
• the consequence of taking no action.

Some periods designated by MOIP may be extended, while statutory periods may have different rules. The availability, length and fee for an extension should be confirmed for the particular procedure. A matter should not be marked simply as extendable without that review.

Filing reports

A filing report should include:

• the foreign reference and Korean application number;
• the application type and filing route;
• the applicant and inventor information as filed;
• the filing date and priority information;
• the title and claim count;
• the filed documents;
• the official receipt and filed copy;
• official fees paid;
• outstanding documents or corrections; and
• the next deadlines and expected official actions.

A correction, transliteration choice or official-form requirement that changes the instructed data should be identified in the report. The recipient should not have to compare each filed form with the instructions to find the difference.

Office Action reports

The first notice should provide the official document, Korean due date, extension information and a date for substantive instructions. The substantive report should then explain each rejection, the cited references and the recommended response.

The analysis should distinguish:

1. formal objections from substantive rejections;
2. issues curable without narrowing from those likely to require amendment;
3. the examiner's reasoning from counsel's assessment; and
4. the recommended response from available alternatives.

If an English document is provided, the report should state whether it is a full translation, a summary or an automated working translation. The official Korean notice controls the legal deadline.

Invoices

An invoice should identify the foreign reference, Korean application number, service date or period, work performed, professional fee, translation fee, official fee, other expense and applicable tax. Generic entries such as "patent work" do not permit the recipient to verify the charge.

The engagement should state the invoice currency and the method used to convert official fees and expenses. Credit terms, bank charges and minimum invoice practices should also be disclosed.

Estimates and additional authority

A filing estimate should identify the source-document length, claim count, source language, drawings, sequence listing, priority claims and urgency. An Office Action estimate should state whether it includes analysis, client calls, amendments, argument, an examiner interview and reporting.

If the scope changes, counsel should provide a revised estimate before materially expanding the work when the deadline permits. Where immediate action is necessary to preserve rights, counsel should act only within the emergency authority agreed with the client and report the action promptly.

Portfolio status reports

A portfolio report should use consistent fields and distinguish official deadlines from internal instruction dates. It should identify unresolved matters such as a missing power of attorney, unconfirmed annuity responsibility, an unrecorded ownership change or inconsistent applicant name.

The foreign firm and Korean counsel should compare their dockets periodically. The reconciliation should address each open deadline and responsible party, not only the total number of matters.

Onboarding terms

The initial service instructions should record:

• primary and backup contacts;
• persons authorised to give instructions;
• the expected acknowledgment time;
• the urgent-message channel;
• the required depth of Office Action reports;
• the normal instruction lead time;
• the estimate-approval threshold;
• invoice format and currency;
• annuity responsibility; and
• the escalation procedure when instructions are missing.

The parties should also agree whether every official notice requires a full translation. A concise report may be sufficient for a routine notice, while a material rejection may require a complete translation or a more detailed analysis.

Both firms should maintain a docket for the Korean deadline. Korean counsel monitors the local official record, and the instructing firm retains responsibility for its own client reporting and instructions.

Official references

• MOIP foreign-applicant and patent FAQ
• MOIP patent fees and payment schedule
• WIPO PCT Applicant's Guide for the Republic of Korea

Related Korean patent guidance

• Services Provided by a Korean IP Associate
• Scope of Fixed-Fee Patent Prosecution in Korea
• Conflicts, Deadlines and Client Instructions at Korean Patent Firms

Last reviewed: July 16, 2026.

This article provides general information and does not replace advice on a specific application, deadline or engagement.