Under the previous Korean Design Protection Act, a design was not able to be registered when the design could have easily been created on the basis of a shape, pattern or color, or a combination thereof from a widely known design in Korea.

 

However, under the revised Korean Design Protection Act effective from July 1, 2014, it strengthened the requirement for creativity, and thus a design cannot be registered when a design could have been easily created on the bases of a shape, pattern or color, or a combination thereof from a widely known design in foreign countries as well.