Patent applications, residents in South Korea
South Korea: Patent applications, residents was 195,786 in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Patent applications, residents in South Korea, 1980–2024
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 195,786 for patent applications, residents in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.4% on the previous year and up 19.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, patent applications, residents in South Korea peaked at 195,786 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 1,241, in 1980.
South Korea ranks 4th of 139 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Patent applications, residents in South Korea, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1,241 | — |
| 1981 | 1,319 | +6.3% |
| 1982 | 1,556 | +18.0% |
| 1983 | 1,599 | +2.8% |
| 1984 | 1,997 | +24.9% |
| 1985 | 2,702 | +35.3% |
| 1986 | 3,640 | +34.7% |
| 1987 | 4,871 | +33.8% |
| 1988 | 5,696 | +16.9% |
| 1989 | 7,020 | +23.2% |
| 1990 | 9,082 | +29.4% |
| 1991 | 13,253 | +45.9% |
| 1992 | 15,951 | +20.4% |
| 1993 | 21,449 | +34.5% |
| 1994 | 28,554 | +33.1% |
| 1995 | 59,228 | +107.4% |
| 1996 | 68,405 | +15.5% |
| 1997 | 67,359 | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 50,596 | -24.9% |
| 1999 | 55,970 | +10.6% |
| 2000 | 72,831 | +30.1% |
| 2001 | 73,714 | +1.2% |
| 2002 | 76,570 | +3.9% |
| 2003 | 90,313 | +17.9% |
| 2004 | 105,250 | +16.5% |
| 2005 | 122,188 | +16.1% |
| 2006 | 125,476 | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 128,701 | +2.6% |
| 2008 | 127,114 | -1.2% |
| 2009 | 127,316 | +0.2% |
| 2010 | 131,805 | +3.5% |
| 2011 | 138,034 | +4.7% |
| 2012 | 148,136 | +7.3% |
| 2013 | 159,978 | +8.0% |
| 2014 | 164,073 | +2.6% |
| 2015 | 167,275 | +2.0% |
| 2016 | 163,424 | -2.3% |
| 2017 | 159,084 | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 162,561 | +2.2% |
| 2019 | 171,603 | +5.6% |
| 2020 | 180,477 | +5.2% |
| 2021 | 186,245 | +3.2% |
| 2022 | 183,748 | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 191,142 | +4.0% |
| 2024 | 195,786 | +2.4% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 195,786 is above the median for high income countries, which is 322, 608.0× the median. (60 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 195,786 is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 873, 224.3× the median. (19 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Patent applications, residents in South Korea changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +107.4% | 28,554 | 59,228 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 3,164 | 1,241 | 7,020 | 10 |
| 1990s | 38,985 | 9,082 | 68,405 | 10 |
| 2000s | 104,947 | 72,831 | 128,701 | 10 |
| 2010s | 156,597 | 131,805 | 171,603 | 10 |
| 2020s | 187,480 | 180,477 | 195,786 | 5 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More science & technology data for South Korea
- Mobile landline subscriptions, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, gaps filled 172.52 (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per capita 1.72 units per person (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, gaps filled 89.22 million (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, per square kilometre 859.55 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Mobile landline subscriptions, annual growth rate 6.42 % change on previous year (2024)
- Mobile cellular subscriptions by country, annual growth rate 6.36 % change on previous year (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents, gaps filled 50,459 (2024)
- Patent applications, nonresidents 50,459 (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is patent applications, residents in South Korea?
- Patent applications, residents in South Korea was 195,786 in 2024, 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, residents recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 195,786 in 2024.
- What is the lowest patent applications, residents recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 1,241 in 1980.
- How does South Korea rank for patent applications, residents?
- South Korea ranks 4th out of 139 countries with data for 2024.
- Is patent applications, residents rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is up 19.3%. 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, residents. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
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.