Boseong Green Tea and Hansan Mosi and More Look for the Registration Mark on GI-Protected Regional Specialties - South Korea’s MOIP
28-Sep-2026
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Source : The South Korea’s Ministry of Intellectual Property (MOIP)
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Visits : 104
- MOIP launches pilot use of the registration mark for GI collective marks (~Dec. 31).
- Enabling consumers to easily identify registered products and rights holders to effectively promote their products’ registered status.
The names of key Korean regional specialties, such as Boseong Green Tea, Icheon Ceramics and Hansan Mosi, are registered as geographical indication (GI) collective marks*, giving them protection under trademark law. However, consumers have had difficulty identifying whether such products are officially registered under this system.
* Geographical indication (GI) collective mark: A trademark system designed to promote local economies and foster regional specialty brands by protecting the names of regional specialties with a longstanding reputation or distinctive qualities as intellectual property (IP) rights.
MUNICH - The South Korea’s Ministry of Intellectual Property (MOIP), led by Minister KIM Yong Sun, announced that it has introduced a “registration mark” for Korean regional specialty products covered by the GI collective mark system to help consumers easily identify registered products and enable rights holders to effectively promote their products’ registered status. MOIP will operate the Registration Mark on a pilot basis from September 7 to December 31, 2026, according to the official website of MOIP.
The newly introduced Registration Mark features curved lines inspired by Korea’s mountains and rivers (Hanja Characters: 山川), symbolizing the geographical origin of regional specialties. The design was finalized in August following consultations with trademark rights holders, advice from design experts and a preference survey.
Trademark rights holders wishing to use of the Registration Mark during the pilot period may submit an application via email or post. After verifying the registration status, MOIP will provide eligible applicants with the Registration Mark design files and guidelines for use. Detailed information is available under the Announcements/Public Notices section on MOIP’s official website (www.moip.go.kr).
Minister Kim stated, “The GI collective mark protects regional specialties that embody the natural environment of their regions and the accumulated know-how of local producers as intellectual property rights. We hope this Registration Mark will serve as an easy identification standard for consumers to recognize registered products, while providing right holders with an effective tool to differentiate and promote their products, ultimately contributing to enhancing the trust and brand value of regional specialties.”