S. Korea to protect virtual reality, augmented reality videos as intellectual property

South Korea’s patent office announced that virtual reality and augmented reality videos eligible for registration as intellectual property thanks to a revision of related laws.

The Korea Intellectual Property Office announced that digitally-produced designs with various purposes and functions, including medical information, images expressed on websites, street walls, and human bodies, will be protected as intellectual property.

Such designs were previously eligible for IP registration only as part of items.

Accordingly, using or sending registered digital designs or something similar online without permission would be considered an infringement of IP rights.

Furthermore, South Korean businesses that file their digital designs overseas within six months of submitting their application in their country can claim their South Korean filing date as the overseas filing date through the right of priority convention.