South Korea vs Lower middle income: Patent applications, residents

South Korea
186,245
in 2021
Lower middle income
42,400
in 2020
South Korea rank
4th
Lower middle income rank
7th

Patent applications, residents over time

  • South Korea
  • Lower middle income
050.0k100.0k150.0k200.0k198020002021

How they compare

South Korea currently reports 186,245 against 42,400 in Lower middle income, a difference of 143,845.

That makes South Korea's figure about 4.4 times Lower middle income's.

Across all 24 years both countries report, South Korea has been ahead every year.

South Korea ranks 4th and Lower middle income ranks 7th of 135 countries.

South Korea has averaged higher in every one of the 4 decades both report.

Head to head by decade

Decade South Korea Lower middle income Difference Ahead
1990s 57,975 9,700 48,275 South Korea
2000s 104,947 10,550 94,397 South Korea
2010s 156,597 32,320 124,277 South Korea
2020s 180,477 42,400 138,077 South Korea

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher patent applications, residents, South Korea or Lower middle income?
South Korea, at 186,245 against 42,400 in Lower middle income as of 2021.
What is the difference in patent applications, residents between South Korea and Lower middle income?
143,845, with South Korea ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for South Korea and Lower middle income?
24 years are reported by both, from 1997 to 2020.
How do South Korea and Lower middle income rank globally for patent applications, residents?
South Korea ranks 4th and Lower middle income ranks 7th of 135 countries.
Where does this data come from?
WIPO Patent Report: Statistics on Worldwide Patent Activity, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), note: The International Bureau of WIPO assumes no responsibility with respect to the trans, published as Patent applications, residents. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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South Korea vs Lower middle income: Patent applications, residents. Statizoid, drawing on WIPO Patent Report: Statistics on Worldwide Patent Activity, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), note: The International Bureau of WIPO assumes no responsibility with respect to the trans. Retrieved 16 August 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/compare/patent-applications-residents/korea-rep/lower-middle-income/

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About this data

Indicator
Patent applications, residents
Source
WIPO Patent Report: Statistics on Worldwide Patent Activity, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), note: The International Bureau of WIPO assumes no responsibility with respect to the trans
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
147 places, 4,224 data points, 1980–2021
Last refreshed

Patent applications are worldwide patent applications filed through the Patent Cooperation Treaty procedure or with a national patent office for exclusive rights for an invention--a product or process that provides a new way of doing something or offers a new technical solution to a problem. A patent provides protection for the invention to the owner of the patent for a limited period, generally 20 years.