- The Ministry of Intellectual Property (MOIP) launches the “Fake K-Brand Reporting Center” on July 30.
- A quick “Spot, Snap, Report” for public reports to be promptly relayed to rights holders and linked to local enforcement.
- Early warnings of overseas trademark squatting risks through the “K-Brand Guardian” service.

# While traveling abroad, Traveler A discovered a store in a local shopping mall using signage and interior decor similar to that of a well-known Korean beauty brand. Traveler A took photos of the store's sign and products, entered the “Fake K-Brand Reporting Center” via his smartphone, and easily filed a report. MOIP promptly notified the relevant rights holder and supported local follow-up actions, such as issuing warning letters.

# Korean food company B was preparing to enter the Southeast Asia market and registered its trademarks in advance with the “K-Brand Guardian” service. Later, when a third party filed a similar trademark in the local country, K-Brand Guardian immediately sent an alert to Company B indicating suspected bad-faith trademark squatting. Company B filed an opposition to prevent the bad-faith trademark from being registered and secured a stable foundation for its overseas expansion through its own local trademark applications.

What should you do if you come across a store imitating a Korean brand while traveling? Going forward, you will be able to file a report by simply taking a photo with your smartphone. Suspected cases reported by the public will be reviewed by experts and shared with the relevant Korean companies, with assistance provided for local enforcement or other follow-up action where necessary.

DAEJEON - South Korea's Ministry of Intellectual Property (MOIP), led by Minister Kim Yong Sun, announced that it will launch the “Fake K-Brand Reporting Center” and “K-Brand Guardian” services on July 30, 2025, to strengthen Korea’s response to “Fake K-Brands, including counterfeit goods, bad-faith trademark registrations, and imitations of store appearances, which are expanding overseas, according to the official website of MOIP.

Easily Report Fake K-Brands with a Simple Photo 

The “Fake K-Brand Reporting Center” is an online channel through which the members of the public can easily report suspected fake K-brands encountered at overseas stores, online marketplaces, social media platforms, and other channels. The reporting channel will be available through the “K-Brand Protection Portal*” operated by the Korea Intellectual Property Protection Agency (KOIPA). A dedicated QR code and simplified reporting functions using images and location information will enable users to submit reports directly from the scene.

* Website: https://ip-navi.or.kr/kbrands/angel.do

Submitted reports will be reviewed for factors such as similarity to Korean trademarks, the likelihood of consumer confusion, and the possibility of infringement. Cases will then be categorized by type, such as misappropriation of trade name/signage, distribution of counterfeit goods, and damage to the Korean Wave-identity damage, then compiled into a database. When a report is deemed valid, the relevant K-brand product’s rights holder will be promptly notified and supported in taking follow-up action.


If local trademark rights exist, the case will be llinked to trademark enforcement measures such as collecting evidence of infringement and pursuing administrative or criminal enforcement. Even where no local trademark right exists or the rights involved are unclear, MOIP plans to link cases with the K-Brand Dispute Response Strategy Support Program to explore possible remedies under applicable local laws and systems, including unfair competition and consumer protection laws.

To mark the launch of the reporting center, MOIP will also hold the “K-Brand Guardian Angel Campaign” at 5 p.m. on July 30 in front of Olive Young N Seongsu in Seoul’s Seongsu-dong district. The event will feature hands-on demonstrations of the reporting process, displays comparing genuine and counterfeit products, and the issuance of “Guardian Angel” certificates, with the aim of encouraging public participation in reporting suspected infringements and promoting the purchase of genuine goods.

AI and Data Analysis to Provide Early Warnings of Overseas Trademark Squatting

MOIP also announced the launch of the “K-Brand Guardian*” service, designed to help Korean companies identify in advance the risk of their trademarks being registered without authorization by local parties overseas. The service analyzes overseas trademark application information, previous cases of bad-faith registrations, repeated filing patterns involving applicants and agents, and similarity to Korean trademarks. Based on this analysis, it provides country- and industry-specific risk ratings and alerts, serving as a preventive K-brand protection service.

In particular, companies that register their trademarks with the service’s “Unauthorized Trademark Registration Alert Service” will automatically receive an email notification when a similar trademark application is detected overseas, together with information on the country concerned and the trademark application. The service will also analyze applicant, address, and agent information to identify filing patterns such as repeated applications, filings across multiple countries, and expansion of designated goods and services to identify potential trademark brokers and provide the information to companies where relevant. A further function will allow companies to enter a trademark name or upload an image to check its similarity to trademarks in major overseas jurisdictions.

Moving forward, MOIP plans to continuously monitor countries and industries in which bad-faith trademark registrations and counterfeit goods are particularly prevalent, drawing on reports submitted to the center and analysis generated through the K-Brand Guardian service. Meanwhile, it will also expand follow-up support, where necessary, through local legal action, cooperation with enforcement authorities, and collaboration with overseas online marketplaces.

Minister Kim stated, “As K-brands continue to gain worldwide popularity, it is important more than ever to have the government's effective response against attempts to imitate or unfairly free-ride on their reputation. Going beyond government and businesses efforts, we will now strengthen a multi-dimensional framework to compressively protect K-brands overseas—where citizens and consumers jointly participate in reporting fake K-brands and expand a culture of purchasing genuine products.”