The Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan, the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Office in Uzbekistan, the Ministry of Intellectual Property of the Republic of Korea, and the Korea Institute of Patent Information (KIPI) officially launched a major cooperation initiative aimed at modernizing Uzbekistan’s intellectual property administration system.

The project, titled “Improvement on Intellectual Property Public Administration System in Uzbekistan (2025-2029),” is supported by KOICA with a total budget of US$9.73 million and will be implemented over five years from 2025 to 2029.

The initiative seeks to strengthen Uzbekistan’s IP public administration by enhancing the efficiency, accuracy and stability of its IP Administration and IP Adliya information systems. It also aims to improve the quality and accessibility of digital IP services for citizens and businesses, while building institutional capacity among IP officials and increasing public awareness and use of the IP system.

In her opening remarks, Min Jeong Lee, deputy country director of the KOICA Office in Uzbekistan, expressed appreciation to the partner institutions for their close cooperation. She noted that the project aligns with Uzbekistan’s broader push toward more efficient, transparent and citizen-centred digital public services.

Lee emphasized that upgraded systems and targeted capacity-building efforts will enable broader access to reliable IP services for both individuals and enterprises.

Ikramov Muzraf, deputy minister of justice of the Republic of Uzbekistan, welcomed the formal launch of the project and reaffirmed the ministry’s strong commitment to close coordination with all stakeholders. He underscored the importance of modern IP administration in fostering innovation, protecting creators and improving overall public service delivery.

Representing South Korea, Hwan Jung Jae, director general of the Ministry of Intellectual Property, highlighted that the project will support the establishment of a practical and effective IP administration system tailored to Uzbekistan’s needs, drawing on South Korea’s experience in digital IP governance. 

He added that South Korea remains committed to supporting implementation and further strengthening bilateral cooperation in the IP sector.

Meanwhile, Sung Hoon Hyun, president and CEO of KIPI, described the project as a mid- to long-term initiative focused on modernizing IP administration through advanced digital solutions, including artificial intelligence-based technologies. He reaffirmed KIPI’s commitment to working closely with all partners to ensure the delivery of sustainable and practical outcomes.

As part of the initial mission, participating institutions will confirm the project scope, work plan, timeline and coordination mechanisms. Technical consultations will also be conducted to review existing IP processes, identify system and database challenges, and guide the development of a data-cleansing “To-Be” model. In addition, the partners will define requirements for AI training data, launch a baseline survey for performance management and agree on the project’s next steps.

- Excel V. Dyquiangco