In 2023, South Korea was ranked 10th in the most innovative economies, overtaking nations like France, China and Japan. According to Insights;Gate, approximately 2,75,624 patents were published in South Korea in the year 2023 (January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023), with around 2,10,952 patents granted during this period.
Leading the innovation charge in South Korea is a consumer electronics giant, Samsung Electronics, which secured the top spot with 17,981 published patents. Following closely behind is a HVAC manufacturer Rheem, with 6,847 patents, and Samsung Display claiming the third position with 5,567 published patents.
In addition, other notable patentees in South Korea include companies like Hyundai Motor, Kia and Qualcomm among others.
Our analysis of the portfolio shows a strong focus on Energy Storage systems innovation. The majority of R&D Centers behind these patents are located in South Korea itself, followed by the United States and Japan.
Explore this extensive article to learn about the top technologies in South Korea for 2023, the individuals with the highest number of patent filings in the nation, and top companies filing patents in South Korea among other interesting insights!
How Many Patents were Published and Granted in South Korea Every Month in 2023?
We’re examining total published patent application records for comparison because the publication timeline of up to 18 months can cause confusion when solely considering the patent count of the most recent year.
| Month | Published Patent Count | Granted Patent Count |
| January | 30760 | 18495 |
| February | 27525 | 17796 |
| March | 32587 | 20477 |
| April | 28080 | 17026 |
| May | 35323 | 19646 |
| June | 36787 | 19134 |
| July | 32222 | 17579 |
| August | 29429 | 16585 |
| September | 24050 | 14883 |
| October | 30685 | 17335 |
| November | 28690 | 16564 |
| December | 27125 | 15432 |
What are the primary countries driving innovation in South Korea?
This chart talks about the primary sources or locations where a significant number of innovations in South Korea originate. It’s inquiring about the main regions responsible for generating the most innovations within the country.
Top patent filers and innovators in South Korea in 2023
Most Innovative Companies of South Korea in 2023
Focus on Industrial Innovation:
The list of companies with the most patents published in South Korea in 2023 offers several insights into the country’s technological and industrial landscape:
- Samsung’s dominance in Electronics and Display technology.
- Emphasis on Energy illustrated by presence of Rheem, LG Energy and Korea Electric Power.
- Innovations in Automotive represented by presence of Hyundai Motor, Kia and Hyundai Mobis.
- Presence of world’s second-largest memory chipmaker and the world’s sixth-largest semiconductor company, SK Hynix.
- Telecommunications and AI domain represented by Qualcomm and Baidu.
- Contributions in Electronics and Petrochemicals by LG Display, LG Chem and LG Innotek.
This reflects the dynamic and innovative technological landscape in South Korea showcasing the counstry’s role as a major contributor to global technological advancements.
Inventors driving the innovation in South Korea in 2023
Top technology-focused area of published patents in South Korea 2023
As per our analysis, there had been tremendous research and innovation in South Korea related to Physics and Energy Storage Systems in the year 2023 as can be observed in the heat map generated for the CPC classification.
