Korea, Dem. People's Rep.: Patent applications, residents

Key figures

Over five years it is down 5.98% from 7,377 in 2019 (1.23% a year on average, compounded). Since 2005 it is up 18.34% from 5,861 in 2005 (0.89% a year on average, compounded). The World Bank has no value for 6 of the years in between; the chart leaves those gaps open rather than joining across them.

What the numbers say

In 2024, Korea, Dem. People's Rep.'s patent applications, residents rose 0.5% on 2023 (from 6,902 to 6,936).

Across the 9 yearly changes before that (2006 to 2023), the average change was +0.8% and a typical year strayed about 5.4% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 8.3% in 2006 and the biggest yearly fall was 6% in 2019. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2024, Korea, Dem. People's Rep. had the 13th highest value of the 113 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Korea, Dem. People's Rep. in the 2024 ranking

• Türkiye — 10th of 113: 10,004
• Italy — 11th of 113: 9,120
• Iran, Islamic Rep. — 12th of 113: 8,314
• Brazil — 14th of 113: 5,752
• Canada — 15th of 113: 4,304
• Poland — 16th of 113: 3,363

What this measures

Patent applications are worldwide patent applications filed through the Patent Cooperation Treaty procedure or with a national patent office for exclusive rights for an invention--a product or process that provides a new way of doing something or offers a new technical solution to a problem. A patent provides protection for the invention to the owner of the patent for a limited period, generally 20 years.

Limitations: Data are based on information supplied to World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) by IP offices in annual surveys, supplemented by data in national IP office reports. Data may be missing for some offices or periods.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a sum.

All 14 values

Patent applications, residents in nearby economies

• Australia — 2,542 (2024)
• Brunei Darussalam — 1 (2024)
• China — 1.67 million (2024)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — 495 (2024)
• Indonesia — 1,931 (2024)
• Japan — 237,169 (2024)
• Korea, Rep. — 195,786 (2024)
• Lao PDR — 1 (2023)
• Macao SAR, China — 8 (2024)
• Malaysia — 841 (2024)
• Mongolia — 89 (2024)

More infrastructure data for Korea, Dem. People's Rep.

• Mobile cellular subscriptions — 6.35 million (2022)
• Mobile cellular subscriptions (per 100 people) — 24.13 (2022)
• Air transport, registered carrier departures worldwide — 74 (2023)
• Air transport, passengers carried — 3,690 (2023)
• Air transport, freight (million ton-km) — 0.0075 (2023)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions — 1.18 million (2022)
• Fixed telephone subscriptions (per 100 people) — 4.48 (2022)
• Scientific and technical journal articles — 269.28 (2023)
• Patent applications, nonresidents

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
• Data analysis examples: 6 worked from one dataset — 3 min read
• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Korea, Dem. People's Rep.'s patent applications, residents?

6,936 in 2024, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 2005?

It is up 18.34% from 5,861 in 2005 (0.89% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was 8,354 in 2012 and the lowest 5,861 in 2005.

How does Korea, Dem. People's Rep. rank?

13th highest of 113 economies with data for 2024.

Is the latest change in patent applications, residents unusual for Korea, Dem. People's Rep.?

In 2024, Korea, Dem. People's Rep.'s patent applications, residents rose 0.5% on 2023 (from 6,902 to 6,936). Across the 9 yearly changes before that (2006 to 2023), the average change was +0.8% and a typical year strayed about 5.4% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.1 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator IP.PAT.RESD, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: WIPO Patent Report: Statistics on Worldwide Patent Activity, World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), note: The International Bureau of WIPO assumes no responsibility with respect to the transformation of these data. Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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