Patent applications, nonresidents in South Korea

South Korea: Patent applications, nonresidents was 51,753 in 2021. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2021)
51,753
Change on year
up 11.8%
World rank
4th
of 150 countries
All-time high
51,753
in 2021
All-time low
3,829
in 1980
Years of data
42
1980–2021

Patent applications, nonresidents in South Korea, 1980–2021

010.0k20.0k30.0k40.0k50.0k1980200020211980: 3.8k1981: 4.0k1982: 4.4k1983: 4.8k1984: 6.6k1985: 7.9k1986: 9.1k1987: 12.2k1988: 14.4k1989: 16.3k1990: 16.7k1991: 14.9k1992: 15.1k1993: 15.0k1994: 17.2k1995: 19.3k1996: 21.9k1997: 25.3k1998: 24.6k1999: 24.7k2000: 29.2k2001: 30.9k2002: 29.6k2003: 28.3k2004: 34.9k2005: 38.7k2006: 40.7k2007: 43.8k2008: 43.5k2009: 36.2k2010: 38.3k2011: 40.9k2012: 40.8k2013: 44.6k2014: 46.2k2015: 46.4k2016: 45.4k2017: 45.7k2018: 47.4k2019: 47.4k2020: 46.3k2021: 51.8k

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.

Analysis

South Korea recorded 51,753 for patent applications, nonresidents in 2021. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 11.8% on the previous year and up 26.6% over ten years.

Over the whole period, patent applications, nonresidents in South Korea peaked at 51,753 in 2021 and was at its lowest, 3,829, in 1980.

That places South Korea 4th out of 150 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Patent applications, nonresidents in South Korea, year by year

Annual values for Patent applications, nonresidents in South Korea, 1980 to 2021.
Year Value Change
1980 3,829
1981 3,984 +4.0%
1982 4,368 +9.6%
1983 4,795 +9.8%
1984 6,636 +38.4%
1985 7,883 +18.8%
1986 9,115 +15.6%
1987 12,186 +33.7%
1988 14,355 +17.8%
1989 16,295 +13.5%
1990 16,738 +2.7%
1991 14,880 -11.1%
1992 15,122 +1.6%
1993 15,044 -0.5%
1994 17,158 +14.1%
1995 19,271 +12.3%
1996 21,921 +13.8%
1997 25,325 +15.5%
1998 24,637 -2.7%
1999 24,672 +0.1%
2000 29,179 +18.3%
2001 30,898 +5.9%
2002 29,566 -4.3%
2003 28,338 -4.2%
2004 34,865 +23.0%
2005 38,733 +11.1%
2006 40,713 +5.1%
2007 43,768 +7.5%
2008 43,518 -0.6%
2009 36,207 -16.8%
2010 38,296 +5.8%
2011 40,890 +6.8%
2012 40,779 -0.3%
2013 44,611 +9.4%
2014 46,219 +3.6%
2015 46,419 +0.4%
2016 45,406 -2.2%
2017 45,691 +0.6%
2018 47,431 +3.8%
2019 47,372 -0.1%
2020 46,282 -2.3%
2021 51,753 +11.8%

South Korea compared with similar countries

  • South Korea's 51,753 is above the median for high income countries, which is 267, 193.8× the median. (61 countries reporting)
  • South Korea's 51,753 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 6,522, 7.9× the median. (21 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1980s 8,345 3,829 16,295 10
1990s 19,477 14,880 25,325 10
2000s 35,578 28,338 43,768 10
2010s 44,311 38,296 47,431 10
2020s 49,018 46,282 51,753 2

Countries ranked near South Korea

  1. 1 United States 329,229 compare
  2. 2 China 159,019 compare
  3. 3 Japan 66,748 compare
  4. 5 India 35,306 compare
  5. 6 Canada 32,445 compare
  6. 7 Australia 29,443 compare

See the full ranking of 162 places →

More science & technology data for South Korea

All data for South Korea →

Frequently asked questions

What is patent applications, nonresidents in South Korea?
Patent applications, nonresidents in South Korea was 51,753 in 2021, according to 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.
What is the highest patent applications, nonresidents recorded in South Korea?
The highest recorded value was 51,753 in 2021.
What is the lowest patent applications, nonresidents recorded in South Korea?
The lowest recorded value was 3,829 in 1980.
How does South Korea rank for patent applications, nonresidents?
South Korea ranks 4th out of 150 countries with data for 2021.
Is patent applications, nonresidents rising or falling in South Korea?
Over the last ten years it is up 26.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this South Korea data come from?
The figures 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 part of Patent applications, nonresidents. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Patent applications, nonresidents in South Korea. 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 22 September 2026, from https://science-tech.statizoid.com/stat/patent-applications-nonresidents/korea-rep/

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About this data

Indicator
Patent applications, nonresidents
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
162 places, 4,548 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.