ENFORCEMENT DECREE OF THE 
UNFAIRCOMPETITION PREVENTION AND TRADE 
SECRET PROTECTION ACT  
 
 
Wholly Amended by Presidential Decree No. 16065, Dec. 31, 1998 Amended by Presidential Decree 
No. 17255, Jun. 27, 2001  
Presidential Decree No. 21691, Aug. 18, 2009  
Presidential Decree No. 22151, May 4, 2010 Presidential Decree No. 23153, Sep. 22, 2011  
 
 
Article 1 (Purpose)   
The purpose of this Decree is to prescribe matters delegated by the Unfair Competition Prevention 
and Trade Secret Protection Act and matters necessary for the enforcement thereof.  
[This Article Wholly Amended by Presidential Decree No. 21691, Aug. 18, 2009]  
Article 1-2 (Justifiable Grounds)  
"Justifiable grounds prescribed by Presidential Decree, such as non-commercial uses" in 
subparagraph 1 (c) of Article 2 of the Unfair Competition Prevention and Trade Secret Protection Act 
(hereinafter referred to as the "Act") means cases falling under any of the following subparagraphs:  
1. Where a mark is used for non-commercial purposes;  
2. Where a mark is used in a news report or commentary;  
3. Where a person (including his/her successor), who has used any one identical or similar to a 
name, trade name, trademark, or container or package of goods of any other person, or a mark 
IP/N/1/KOR/E/7 
Page 3indicating any other person's goods or business (hereinafter referred to as "mark") before such 
mark becomes widely known to the public in Korea, continues to use it without any unjust 
purpose;  
4. Where the use of a mark is deemed not inconsistent with standard practices of fair commercial 
transactions.  
[This Article Wholly Amended by Presidential Decree No. 21691, Aug. 18, 2009]  
 
Article 1-3 (Disposal, etc. of Collected Goods)  
(1) Where the Commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the Special Metropolitan City 
Mayor, a Metropolitan City Mayor, Do Governor, Special Self-Governing Province Governor 
(hereinafter referred to as the "Mayor/Do Governor") or the head of a Si/Gun/Gu (referring to the 
head of an autonomous Gu; hereinafter the same shall apply) collects the least amount of products 
necessary for inspecting them under Article 7 (1) of the Act, he/she shall issue a certificate of 
collection described in attached Table 1 to the owner or possessor of such products. <Amended by 
Presidential Decree No. 23153, Sep. 22, 201 1> 
(2) Where an inspection of the products collected pursuant to Article 7 (1) of the Act reveals that such 
products are not involved in any act of unfair competition falling under subparagraph 1 (a) through (g) 
of Article 2 of the Act or any violation as referred to in Article 3 or Article 3-2 (1) or (2) of the Act, the 
Commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office, a Mayor/Do Governor or the head of a 
Si/Gun/Gushall return such products to the owner or possessor at the time such products are 
collected. <Amended by Presidential Decree No. 23153, Sep. 22, 2011>  
(3) The certificate prescribed in Article 7 (3) of the Act shall be in accordance with attached Table 2. 
<Amended by Presidential Decree No. 23153, Sep. 22, 2011>  
[This Article Wholly Amended by Presidential Decree No. 21691, Aug. 18, 2009]  
Article 2 (Methods, etc. of Corrective Recommendation)  
IP/N/1/KOR/E/7 
Page 4(1) A corrective recommendation as prescribed in Article 8 of the Act shall be made in the form of a 
document in which any grounds forrecommendation and deadline for correction are specified.  
(2) The Commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office, a Mayor/Do Governoror thehead of a 
Si/Gun/Gumay require a related public official to confirm the actual site, where deemed necessary to 
issue a corrective recommendation as prescribed in paragraph (1) or to verify whether such 
corrective recommendation is implemented. <Amended by Presidential Decree No. 23153, Sep. 22, 2011>  
(3) A public official who confirms the actual site under paragraph (2) shall carry a certificate indicating 
his/her authority and produce it to interested parties.  
[This Article Wholly Amended by Presidential Decree No. 21691, Aug. 18, 2009]  
Article 3 (Procedure for Hearing of Opinions)  
(1) If the Commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office, a Mayor/Do Governor or the head of 
a Si/Gun/Guintendsto hear opinionspursuant to Article 9 of the Act, he/she shall provide written 
notice tothe relevant party, interested person or witness of the corrective recommendation or his/he r 
agent at least ten days before a scheduled hearing date, and shall offer him/her with an opportunity 
to stateopinions. <Amended by Presidential Decree No. 23153, Sep. 22, 2011>  
(2) The relevant party, interested person or witness of the corrective recommendation or his/her agent, 
who has received thenotice under paragraph (1), may go to the designated place at the designated 
date and time, and state opinions or submit written statements.  
(3) If the relevant party, interested person or witness of the corrective recommendation or his/her agent 
has appeared and stated opinions pursuant to paragraph (2), the relevant public official shall 
prepare written gists and require those who have stated such opinions toverify, sign or seal the 
details thereof.  
(4) The written notice as prescribed in paragraph (1) shall clarify that, if a persondoes not comply with 
the details of the notification without justifiable grounds, he/she shall be deemed to have renounced 
the opportunity to state his/heropinions.  
IP/N/1/KOR/E/7 
Page 5[This Article Wholly Amended by Presidential Decree No. 21691, Aug. 18, 2009]  
Article 4 (Entrustment of Duties, Etc.)  
(1) and (2)Deleted. <by Presidential Decree No. 23153, Sep 22, 2011>  
(3) "A corporationor organization related to the duties of protection of industrial property rights or 
prevention of unfair competition prescribed by Presidential Decree" under Article 17 (2) of the Act 
means a corporation or organization falling under each of the following subparagraphs: <Amended by 
Presidential Decree No. 23153, Sep. 22, 2011>  
1. The Korea Invention Promotion Association established under the Invention Promotion Act;  
2. A corporation or organization designated and publicly announced by the Commissioner of the 
Korean Intellectual Property Office from among those who are acknowledged as having 
expertise in the affairs falling under Article 2-2 of the Act.  
(4) The provisions of Article 2 (2) and (3) shall apply mutantis mutandis to a person who engages in the 
support duties in accordance with Article 17 (3) and (4) of the Ac t. <Amended by Presidential Decree No. 
23153, Sep. 22, 2011>  
(5) A corporation or organization that intends to receive subsidies to cover expenses under Article 17 (5) 
of the Act shall file an application for a subsidy to cover the expense incurred for the duties of unfair 
competition prevention and trade secret protection in attached Table 3, attached with the following 
documents, with the Commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office. In such cases, the 
Commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office shall verify the corporation registration 
certificate (applicable only to a corporation) through the shared use of administrative information 
prescribed in Article 36 (1) of the Electronic Government Act: <Amended by Presidential Decree No. 
22151, May 4, 2010; Presidential Decree No. 23153, Sep. 22, 2011>  
1. Work plan forunfair competition preventionand trade secret protection;  
2. Articles of association (limited to a corporation).  
(6) The Commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office shall determine and publicly announce 
IP/N/1/KOR/E/7 
Page 6standards and procedures for designation of a corporation or organization provided for in paragraph 
(3) 2. <Amended by Presidential Decree No. 23153, Sep. 22, 2011>  
[This Article Wholly Amended by Presidential Decree No. 21691, Aug. 18, 2009]  
Article 4-2 (Operating Procedure of Common Affairs)  
The Commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office shall determine and publicly announce 
the details which are necessary for the operating procedure, guidance, etc. of the duties provided for 
in Article 7 through 9 and 20 of the Act.  
[This Article Newly Inserted by Presidential Decree No. 23153, Sep. 22, 2011]  
Article 5 (Education)  
The Commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office may, where deemed necessary, 
provide education on duties for public officials engaged in the duties concerning unfair competition 
prevention.  
[This Article Wholly Amended by Presidential Decree No. 21691, Aug. 18, 2009]  
Article 6 (Criteria for Imposition of Fines for Negligence)  
The criteria of imposing a fine for negligence as provided for in Article 20 (1) of the Act shall be 
prescribed in attached Table.  
[This Article Wholly Amended by Presidential Decree No. 21691, Aug. 18, 2009]  
 
ADDENDUM  
This Decree shall enter into force on January 1, 1999.  
 
ADDENDUM <Presidential Decree No. 17255, Jun. 27, 2001>  
This Decree shall enter into force on July 1, 2001.  
 
ADDENDA <Presidential Decree No. 21691, Aug. 18, 2009>  
Article 1 (Enforcement Date)  
IP/N/1/KOR/E/7 
Page 7This Decree shall enter into force on the date of its promulgation.  
 
Article 2 (Transitional Measures)  
(1) Standards for imposing fines for negligence with respect to any offense committed before this 
Decree enters into force shall be governed by the previous provisions.  
(2) Where standards for imposing fines for negligence per frequency of offense are applied pursuant 
to the amended provisions in attached Table, the first offense committed after this Decree enters 
into force shall be deemed one offense.  
 
ADDENDA <Presidential Decree No. 22151, May 4, 2010>  
Article 1 (Enforcement Date)  
This Decree shall enter into force on May 5, 2010.  
Articles 2 through 4 Omitted.  
 
ADDENDUM <Presidential Decree No. 23153, Sep. 22, 2011>  
This Decree shall enter into force on October 1, 2011. 
 
__________  
IP/N/1/KOR/E/7 
Page 8