Contrary to views that protection for intellectual property rights is weaker in Korea than for general property rights, the country’s ranking is higher for intellectual property rights protection, according to a survey by the Property Rights Alliance, an international think tank and lobbying group.

The Center for Free Enterprise, a local libertarian think tank that also participated in the survey, said Korea has strong measures in place to protect patents and trademark rights, whereas the country has complicated procedures for the registration of physical properties.

This makes it difficult for individuals and companies to freely exercise their physical property rights, the center said.

The U.S.-based Property Rights Alliance released its 2008 International Property Rights report on Tuesday.

It analyzed data from 115 countries and created an index to measure the significance of physical and intellectual property rights and their protection.

According to the report, Korea ranks 23rd in intellectual property rights with an index of 6.7, while it ranks 48th in physical property rights with an index of 6.2.

“In the intellectual property index, patents and trademark rights carry a lot of weight.

Korea, with its developed corporate sector, is protecting them well, though it is relatively weak in the protection of copyrights,” Choi Sung-no, a fellow at the Center for Free Enterprise, said yesterday.

“For physical property rights, Korea’s complicated set of procedures for the registration of new properties such as new plants has lowered the country’s ranking.”
In overall property rights protection, Korea ranked 36th with an index of 6.2.

Finland took the top position with an index of 8.6, while Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany tied for second.

Most of its Asian rivals ranked higher than Korea, with Singapore taking the 13th position with 7.9 and Japan and Hong Kong tied for the 16th position with 7.7.

China ranked much lower, at 62nd, with an index of 5.

By Moon So-young Staff Reporter [symoon@joongang.co.kr]