What must be translated
- The description and the claims, as filed or as amended under Article 19 or Article 34 (with any statement under Article 19).
- Any text matter in the drawings.
- The abstract.
Where the claims were amended during the international phase, we translate the version you choose and file the translations of the amendments with the entry papers, so the amended claims become the basis for examination.
Deadline and extension
The translation is due at entry, 31 months from the earliest priority date. If it is not ready, a one-month extension can be requested up to one month before the deadline. The entry is then filed in the original language, at a higher application fee, and the Korean translation follows by 32 months.
If the translation of the description and claims is not filed in time, the application is treated as withdrawn in Korea. Deadlines are therefore docketed twice and confirmed in writing when you instruct us.
How we translate
Every translation is prepared by a technical translator and checked by a Korean patent attorney against the original: claims, numerals, units, reference signs and terminology. Send us your glossary or the translation of a related Korean case and we apply it. Our charge is per word of the original (per character for Japanese and Chinese), and the calculator shows it before you order.
Supplying your own translation
If you have a Korean translation already, we check it and file it for a processing fee instead of the translation charge.
Correcting translation errors
Korean law allows a mistranslation to be corrected against the original international application within the periods for amendment. It is still far better to get the translation right at entry: corrections cost time and fees, and the scope of the claims is fixed by the Korean text.
Questions
What must be translated into Korean for PCT national phase entry?
The description, the claims (as filed or as amended under Article 19 or 34), any text in the drawings and the abstract.
What is the deadline for the Korean translation?
31 months from the earliest priority date. A one-month extension can be requested up to one month before that deadline; the entry is then filed in the original language and the translation follows by 32 months.
What happens if the translation is late?
If the translation of the description and claims is not filed in time, the international application is treated as withdrawn in Korea.
Can translation errors be corrected later?
Yes. A mistranslation can be corrected against the original text within the periods for amendment, but corrections cost time and fees, so the translation should be checked carefully at entry.