عن الملكية الفكرية التدريب في مجال الملكية الفكرية إذكاء الاحترام للملكية الفكرية التوعية بالملكية الفكرية الملكية الفكرية لفائدة… الملكية الفكرية و… الملكية الفكرية في… معلومات البراءات والتكنولوجيا معلومات العلامات التجارية معلومات التصاميم الصناعية معلومات المؤشرات الجغرافية معلومات الأصناف النباتية (الأوبوف) القوانين والمعاهدات والأحكام القضائية المتعلقة بالملكية الفكرية مراجع الملكية الفكرية تقارير الملكية الفكرية حماية البراءات حماية العلامات التجارية حماية التصاميم الصناعية حماية المؤشرات الجغرافية حماية الأصناف النباتية (الأوبوف) تسوية المنازعات المتعلقة بالملكية الفكرية حلول الأعمال التجارية لمكاتب الملكية الفكرية دفع ثمن خدمات الملكية الفكرية هيئات صنع القرار والتفاوض التعاون التنموي دعم الابتكار الشراكات بين القطاعين العام والخاص أدوات وخدمات الذكاء الاصطناعي المنظمة العمل مع الويبو المساءلة البراءات العلامات التجارية التصاميم الصناعية المؤشرات الجغرافية حق المؤلف الأسرار التجارية أكاديمية الويبو الندوات وحلقات العمل إنفاذ الملكية الفكرية WIPO ALERT إذكاء الوعي اليوم العالمي للملكية الفكرية مجلة الويبو دراسات حالة وقصص ناجحة في مجال الملكية الفكرية أخبار الملكية الفكرية جوائز الويبو الأعمال الجامعات الشعوب الأصلية الأجهزة القضائية الموارد الوراثية والمعارف التقليدية وأشكال التعبير الثقافي التقليدي الاقتصاد التمويل الأصول غير الملموسة المساواة بين الجنسين الصحة العالمية تغير المناخ سياسة المنافسة أهداف التنمية المستدامة التكنولوجيات الحدودية التطبيقات المحمولة الرياضة السياحة ركن البراءات تحليلات البراءات التصنيف الدولي للبراءات أَردي – البحث لأغراض الابتكار أَردي – البحث لأغراض الابتكار قاعدة البيانات العالمية للعلامات مرصد مدريد قاعدة بيانات المادة 6(ثالثاً) تصنيف نيس تصنيف فيينا قاعدة البيانات العالمية للتصاميم نشرة التصاميم الدولية قاعدة بيانات Hague Express تصنيف لوكارنو قاعدة بيانات Lisbon Express قاعدة البيانات العالمية للعلامات الخاصة بالمؤشرات الجغرافية قاعدة بيانات الأصناف النباتية (PLUTO) قاعدة بيانات الأجناس والأنواع (GENIE) المعاهدات التي تديرها الويبو ويبو لكس - القوانين والمعاهدات والأحكام القضائية المتعلقة بالملكية الفكرية معايير الويبو إحصاءات الملكية الفكرية ويبو بورل (المصطلحات) منشورات الويبو البيانات القطرية الخاصة بالملكية الفكرية مركز الويبو للمعارف الاتجاهات التكنولوجية للويبو مؤشر الابتكار العالمي التقرير العالمي للملكية الفكرية معاهدة التعاون بشأن البراءات – نظام البراءات الدولي ePCT بودابست – نظام الإيداع الدولي للكائنات الدقيقة مدريد – النظام الدولي للعلامات التجارية eMadrid الحماية بموجب المادة 6(ثالثاً) (الشعارات الشرفية، الأعلام، شعارات الدول) لاهاي – النظام الدولي للتصاميم eHague لشبونة – النظام الدولي لتسميات المنشأ والمؤشرات الجغرافية eLisbon UPOV PRISMA UPOV e-PVP Administration UPOV e-PVP DUS Exchange الوساطة التحكيم قرارات الخبراء المنازعات المتعلقة بأسماء الحقول نظام النفاذ المركزي إلى نتائج البحث والفحص (CASE) خدمة النفاذ الرقمي (DAS) WIPO Pay الحساب الجاري لدى الويبو جمعيات الويبو اللجان الدائمة الجدول الزمني للاجتماعات WIPO Webcast وثائق الويبو الرسمية أجندة التنمية المساعدة التقنية مؤسسات التدريب في مجال الملكية الفكرية الدعم المتعلق بكوفيد-19 الاستراتيجيات الوطنية للملكية الفكرية المساعدة في مجالي السياسة والتشريع محور التعاون مراكز دعم التكنولوجيا والابتكار نقل التكنولوجيا برنامج مساعدة المخترعين WIPO GREEN WIPO's PAT-INFORMED اتحاد الكتب الميسّرة اتحاد الويبو للمبدعين WIPO Translate أداة تحويل الكلام إلى نص مساعد التصنيف الدول الأعضاء المراقبون المدير العام الأنشطة بحسب كل وحدة المكاتب الخارجية المناصب الشاغرة المشتريات النتائج والميزانية التقارير المالية الرقابة
Arabic English Spanish French Russian Chinese
القوانين المعاهدات الأحكام التصفح بحسب الاختصاص القضائي

جمهورية كوريا

KR023-j

عودة للخلف

Supreme Court Decision, 2017Hu2697, dated March 29, 2018

Supreme Court Decision 2017Hu2697 Decided March 29, 2018Invalidation of Registration (Trademark)

 

Main Issues and Holdings

[1] Method of determining the similarity of combined trademarks consisting of two or more letters or figures in cases where a trademark contains an essential part

Whether a component of a trademark that has no or a weak distinctiveness may be deemed an essential part (negative)

[2] Method of determining whether a component of a combined trademark exhibits distinctiveness to function as an essential part

[3] In the case where Trademark Holder A of the first-to-file trademark  설명: http://library.scourt.go.kr/SCLIB_data/decision/2017Hu2697-image001.jpg  brought a claim for registration invalidation adjudication against Service Mark Holder B, a foreign entity, of the registered service mark  설명: http://library.scourt.go.kr/SCLIB_data/decision/2017Hu2697-image002.jpg , of which the designated services fall under the category of retail services for a variety of goods in the field of metal and nonmetal accessories, bags, apparel, footwear, caps, and hats, on the ground that the registered service mark shares a similarity with the first-to-file trademark, designated services or designated goods, the case holding that the lower court erred by misapprehending the legal doctrine on the similarity of service marks in determining otherwise when, in fact, the figure depicting the left side shape of a dog ( 설명: http://library.scourt.go.kr/SCLIB_data/decision/2017Hu2697-image003.jpg ) of the registered service mark cannot be deemed an essential part exhibiting independent distinctiveness

Summary of Decision

[1] As a matter of principle, the similarity of combined trademarks consisting of two or more letters or figures shall be determined based on the overall appearance of their constituent parts, names, and conceptions. However, if a trademark contains an essential part, namely, a part of the trademark that independently, standing alone, carries out the function of indicating the origin of goods by leaving an impression of the trademark on ordinary consumers or by inducing them to remember or associate with the trademark, then it is necessary to compare and determine the similarity of trademarks based on their essential parts as a means of reaching an appropriate conclusion of the overall observation.

The essential part of a trademark serves as the basis of comparison in determining its similarity with another trademark, by virtue of its independent, stand-alone distinctiveness apart from other components of the trademark, which makes the trademark prominently recognizable to ordinary consumers. As such, a component of a trademark that has no or a weak distinctiveness cannot be deemed an essential part.

[2] Determination as to whether a component of a combined trademark exhibits distinctiveness to function as an essential part ought to be made by comprehensively taking into account the following: (i) whether combined trademarks related to a product that is identical or similar to a designated product have been registered on multiple occasions or applications have been published; (ii) number of trademarks registered or publication of applications; (iii) number of applicants or trademark holders; (iv) level of inherent distinctiveness of the relevant constituent part and relationship with the designated product; and (v) circumstances deeming that granting exclusivity to a specific person from a public interest standpoint is inappropriate.

[3] In the case where Trademark Holder A of the first-to-file trademark  설명: http://library.scourt.go.kr/SCLIB_data/decision/2017Hu2697-image001.jpg  brought a claim for registration invalidation adjudication against Service Mark Holder B, a foreign entity, of the registered service mark  설명: http://library.scourt.go.kr/SCLIB_data/decision/2017Hu2697-image004.jpg , of which the designated services fall under the category of retail services for a variety of goods in the field of metal and nonmetal accessories, bags, apparel, footwear, caps, and hats, on the ground that the registered service mark shares a similarity with the first-to-file trademark, designated services or designated goods, the Court held as follows: (a) both the registered service mark and the first-to-file trademark include a figure depicting the left side shape of a standing dog; (b) however, with regard to the services that share an identicalness or a similarity with the designated services prior to the date of filing for application of the instant registered service mark; (c) in view of circumstances, such as the fact that a number of service marks consisting of a figure similar to that of the instant registered service mark are registered under different service mark holders; (d) the figure depicting the left side shape of a standing dog ( 설명: http://library.scourt.go.kr/SCLIB_data/decision/2017Hu2697-image005.jpg ) of the registered service mark cannot be deemed an essential part exhibiting independent distinctiveness, inasmuch as acknowledging the distinctiveness of said figure is difficult or granting exclusivity of the same to a specific person from a public interest standpoint is inappropriate; (e) nonetheless, the lower court deemed otherwise and held that the registered service mark shared a similarity with the first-to-file trademark; and (f) in so doing, it erred by misapprehending the legal doctrine on the similarity of service marks.

Reference Provision[1] Article 34(1)7 of the Trademark Act / [2] Article 34(1)7 of the Trademark Act / [3] Article 34(1)7 of the Trademark Act

Article 34 of the Trademark Act (Trademarks Ineligible for Trademark Registration)

(1) Notwithstanding Article 33, none of the following trademarks shall be registered:

7. Any trademark used for goods identical or similar to the designated goods, which is identical or similar to the registered trademark of another person (excluding any registered collective mark with geographical indication) based on first to file[.]

Reference Cases[1] Supreme Court Decisions 2001Hu1080 decided Dec. 14, 2001; 2004Hu912 decided May 25, 2006 (Gong2006Ha, 1187); 2015Hu1690 decided Feb. 9, 2017 / [2] Supreme Court Decisions 95Hu1494 decided Mar. 22, 1996 (Gong1995Sang, 1404); 2008Hu5151 decided Apr. 23, 2009; 2015Hu932 decided Mar. 9, 2017 (Gong2017Sang, 662)

설명: http://library.scourt.go.kr/SCLIB_data/decision/2017Hu2697-image006.png

Plaintiff-AppellantVictorias Secret Stores Brand Management, Inc. (Attorneys Lee Hoe-gi et al., Counsel for the plaintiff-appellant)

Defendant-AppelleeDefendant (Shin & Kim, Attorneys Park Gyo-seon et al., Counsel for the defendant-appellee)

Judgment of the court belowPatent Court Decision 2017Heo1595 decided October 13, 2017

DispositionThe lower judgment is reversed, and the case is remanded to the Patent Court.

ReasoningThe grounds of final appeal are examined.

1. As a matter of principle, the similarity of combined trademarks consisting of two or more letters or figures shall be determined based on the overall appearance of their constituent parts, names, and conceptions. However, if a trademark contains an essential part, namely, a part of the trademark that independently, standing alone, carries out the function of indicating the origin of goods by leaving an impression of the trademark on ordinary consumers or by inducing them to remember or associate with the trademark, then it is necessary to compare and determine the similarity of trademarks based on their essential parts as a means of reaching an appropriate conclusion of the overall observation (see, e.g., Supreme Court Decision 2015Hu1690, Feb. 9, 2017).

The essential part of a trademark serves as the basis of comparison in determining its similarity with another trademark, by virtue of its independent, stand-alone distinctiveness apart from other components of the trademark, which makes the trademark prominently recognizable to ordinary consumers. As such, a component of a trademark that has no or a weak distinctiveness cannot be deemed an essential part (see, e.g., Supreme Court Decisions 2001Hu1808, Dec. 14, 2001; 2004Hu912, May 25, 2006).

Meanwhile, determination as to whether a component of a combined trademark exhibits distinctiveness to function as an essential part ought to be made by comprehensively taking into account the following: (i) whether combined trademarks related to a product that is identical or similar to a designated product have been registered on multiple occasions or applications have been published (see, e.g., Supreme Court Decisions 95Hu1494, Mar. 22, 1996; 2008Hu5151, Apr. 23, 2009); (ii) number of trademarks registered or publication of applications; (iii) number of applicants or trademark holders; (iv) level of inherent distinctiveness of the relevant constituent part and relationship with the designated product; and (v) circumstances deeming that granting exclusivity to a specific person from a public interest standpoint is inappropriate (see, e.g., Supreme Court Decision 2015Hu932, Mar. 9, 2017).

2. We examine the following in light of the aforementioned legal doctrine and record.

Instant Registered Service Mark

설명: http://library.scourt.go.kr/SCLIB_data/decision/2017Hu2697-image007.jpg

First-to-File Trademark

설명: http://library.scourt.go.kr/SCLIB_data/decision/2017Hu2697-image008.jpg

The Plaintiffs instant registered service mark (Registration No. omitted), of which the designated services fall under the category of retail services for skincare products, metal accessories, bags, apparel, and hats, and the Defendants first-to-file trademark as indicated in the lower judgment, of which the designated services fall under the category of suits, dress shirts, pajamas, ties, and socks, both include a figure depicting the left side shape of a standing dog as shown in the diagram. However, with regard to the services identical or similar to the designated services prior to September 7, 2012, the date of filing application for registration of the instant service mark, acknowledging the distinctiveness of said figure is difficult or granting exclusivity of the same to a specific person from a public interest standpoint is inappropriate when taking into consideration that a number of service marks consisting of a figure similar to that of the instant registered service mark are registered under different service mark holders. Therefore, the figure depicting the left side of a standing dog ( 설명: http://library.scourt.go.kr/SCLIB_data/decision/2017Hu2697-image009.jpg ) cannot be deemed an essential part exhibiting independent distinctiveness.

Yet the lower court deemed said figure as an essential part of the instant registered service mark and thus determined that it shared a similarity with the first-to-file trademark. In so doing, the lower court erred by misapprehending the legal doctrine on the similarity of service marks, which led to the failure to exhaust all necessary deliberations, thereby adversely affecting the conclusion of the judgment.

3. Therefore, the lower judgment is reversed, and the case is remanded to the lower court for further proceedings consistent with this Opinion. It is so decided as per Disposition by the assent of all participating Justices on the bench.

Justices               Kim So-young (Presiding Justice)

Ko Young-han

Kwon Soon-il

Cho Jae-youn (Justice in charge)