Understanding specialized business and legal terms is crucial when operating internationally. This guide focuses on the Korean term for “patent troll,” providing essential vocabulary and phrases related to patent disputes and intellectual property in a Korean context. Learn how to discuss this concept accurately and navigate related conversations effectively.
Table Of Content
Core Expression
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Expression: 특허괴물
Pronunciation: teuk-heo-goe-mul
Meaning: Patent troll (Literally: patent monster) – Refers to a company or individual that enforces patents against alleged infringers in an aggressive manner, often without intending to manufacture or market the patented invention.
Related Terminology
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Expression: 특허
Pronunciation: teuk-heo
Meaning: Patent -
Expression: 지식재산권
Pronunciation: ji-sik-jae-san-gwon
Meaning: Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) -
Expression: 특허권
Pronunciation: teuk-heo-gwon
Meaning: Patent right -
Expression: 특허 침해
Pronunciation: teuk-heo chim-hae
Meaning: Patent infringement -
Expression: 특허 소송
Pronunciation: teuk-heo so-song
Meaning: Patent litigation / Patent lawsuit -
Expression: 특허청
Pronunciation: teuk-heo-cheong
Meaning: Patent Office (e.g., Korean Intellectual Property Office – KIPO) -
Expression: 발명
Pronunciation: bal-myeong
Meaning: Invention -
Expression: 기술
Pronunciation: gi-sul
Meaning: Technology -
Expression: 라이선스 계약
Pronunciation: ra-i-seon-seu gye-yak
Meaning: License agreement -
Expression: 로열티
Pronunciation: ro-yeol-ti
Meaning: Royalty -
Expression: 비실시 특허권자 (NPE)
Pronunciation: bi-sil-si teuk-heo-gwon-ja
Meaning: Non-Practicing Entity (NPE) – A broader term that includes patent trolls but also universities and research institutions.
Discussing Patent Issues
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Expression: 특허괴물로부터 경고장을 받았습니다.
Pronunciation: teuk-heo-goe-mul-ro-bu-teo gyeong-go-jang-eul ba-dat-seum-ni-da.
Meaning: We received a warning letter from a patent troll. -
Expression: 그 회사는 특허 침해로 우리를 고소했습니다.
Pronunciation: geu hoe-sa-neun teuk-heo chim-hae-ro u-ri-reul go-so-haet-seum-ni-da.
Meaning: That company sued us for patent infringement. -
Expression: 이 특허는 무효라고 생각합니다.
Pronunciation: i teuk-heo-neun mu-hyo-ra-go saeng-gak-ham-ni-da.
Meaning: I believe this patent is invalid. -
Expression: 특허 소송에 어떻게 대응해야 할까요?
Pronunciation: teuk-heo so-song-e eo-tteo-ke dae-eung-hae-ya hal-kka-yo?
Meaning: How should we respond to the patent lawsuit? -
Expression: 합의를 보는 것이 좋을까요?
Pronunciation: ha-bui-reul bo-neun geo-si jo-eul-kka-yo?
Meaning: Would it be better to reach a settlement? -
Expression: 특허 포트폴리오를 강화해야 합니다.
Pronunciation: teuk-heo po-teu-pol-li-o-reul gang-hwa-hae-ya ham-ni-da.
Meaning: We need to strengthen our patent portfolio. -
Expression: 특허괴물의 활동이 증가하고 있습니다.
Pronunciation: teuk-heo-goe-mul-ui hwal-dong-i jeung-ga-ha-go it-seum-ni-da.
Meaning: The activities of patent trolls are increasing. -
Expression: 그들은 기술을 사용하지 않고 소송만 합니다.
Pronunciation: geu-deul-eun gi-sur-eul sa-yong-ha-ji an-ko so-song-man ham-ni-da.
Meaning: They don’t use the technology, they only file lawsuits. -
Expression: 특허 분쟁 해결을 위해 노력하고 있습니다.
Pronunciation: teuk-heo bun-jaeng hae-gyeol-eul wi-hae no-ryeok-ha-go it-seum-ni-da.
Meaning: We are working towards resolving the patent dispute. -
Expression: 변호사와 상담해야 합니다.
Pronunciation: byeon-ho-sa-wa sang-dam-hae-ya ham-ni-da.
Meaning: We need to consult with a lawyer. -
Expression: 이 기술에 대한 선행 기술 조사가 필요합니다.
Pronunciation: i gi-sur-e dae-han seon-haeng gi-sul jo-sa-ga pil-yo-ham-ni-da.
Meaning: A prior art search is needed for this technology.
Business Impact Phrases
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Expression: 특허 소송은 비용이 많이 듭니다.
Pronunciation: teuk-heo so-song-eun bi-yong-i ma-ni deum-ni-da.
Meaning: Patent litigation is very expensive. -
Expression: 특허괴물 문제는 중소기업에게 특히 심각합니다.
Pronunciation: teuk-heo-goe-mul mun-je-neun jung-so-gi-eop-e-ge teuk-hi sim-gak-ham-ni-da.
Meaning: The patent troll problem is particularly serious for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). -
Expression: 이 소송이 우리 사업에 어떤 영향을 미칠까요?
Pronunciation: i so-song-i u-ri sa-eop-e eo-tteon yeong-hyang-eul mi-chil-kka-yo?
Meaning: How will this lawsuit affect our business? -
Expression: 기술 혁신을 저해할 수 있습니다.
Pronunciation: gi-sul hyeok-sin-eul jeo-hae-hal su it-seum-ni-da.
Meaning: It can hinder technological innovation. -
Expression: 방어적 특허 확보가 중요합니다.
Pronunciation: bang-eo-jeok teuk-heo hwak-bo-ga jung-yo-ham-ni-da.
Meaning: Acquiring defensive patents is important. -
Expression: 특허 분쟁 리스크를 관리해야 합니다.
Pronunciation: teuk-heo bun-jaeng ri-seu-keu-reul gwan-ri-hae-ya ham-ni-da.
Meaning: We need to manage the risk of patent disputes. -
Expression: 시장에 신제품 출시가 지연될 수 있습니다.
Pronunciation: si-jang-e sin-je-pum chul-si-ga ji-yeon-doel su it-seum-ni-da.
Meaning: The launch of new products into the market could be delayed. -
Expression: 회사의 평판에 부정적인 영향을 줄 수 있습니다.
Pronunciation: hoe-sa-ui pyeong-pan-e bu-jeong-jeo-gin yeong-hyang-eul jul su it-seum-ni-da.
Meaning: It can negatively affect the company’s reputation. -
Expression: 라이선스 협상을 시도해 봅시다.
Pronunciation: ra-i-seon-seu hyeop-sang-eul si-do-hae bop-si-da.
Meaning: Let’s try to negotiate a license. -
Expression: 법적 비용 예산을 확보해야 합니다.
Pronunciation: beop-jeok bi-yong ye-san-eul hwak-bo-hae-ya ham-ni-da.
Meaning: We need to secure a budget for legal costs.
Korean Culture Notes
Emphasis on Harmony vs. Litigation: While litigation is becoming more common, traditionally, Korean business culture often preferred negotiation and settlement over direct confrontation in court. However, facing aggressive patent assertion entities often necessitates a strong legal defense.
Government Support for SMEs: The South Korean government recognizes the challenges SMEs face from patent trolls and offers various support programs, including legal consultation and financial aid for patent disputes. Awareness of these resources can be beneficial.
Perception of “Patent Trolls”: The term 특허괴물 (teuk-heo-goe-mul), literally “patent monster,” carries a strongly negative connotation, reflecting a general view that such entities exploit the patent system rather than contribute to innovation.
Importance of IP in Tech Sector: South Korea is a global leader in technology. As such, intellectual property rights are taken very seriously, and patent disputes, including those involving NPEs/patent trolls, are significant issues within the tech industry.
Role of Chaebols: Large conglomerates (재벌, jae-beol) often have extensive patent portfolios and dedicated legal teams to manage IP disputes. Their strategies and outcomes in patent litigation can influence trends and practices for smaller companies as well.
Real Conversation Example
Situation: Two managers at a tech company discuss a warning letter they received.
Characters:
- A: 김 부장 (Manager Kim)
- B: 박 팀장 (Team Leader Park)
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Expression: A: 박 팀장님, 혹시 이 서류 보셨습니까? 해외 NPE로부터 온 특허 침해 경고장입니다.
Pronunciation: Bak tim-jang-nim, hok-si i seo-ryu bo-syeot-seum-ni-kka? hae-oe NPE-ro-bu-teo on teuk-heo chim-hae gyeong-go-jang-im-ni-da.
Meaning: Team Leader Park, have you seen this document by any chance? It’s a patent infringement warning letter from an overseas NPE. -
Expression: B: 네, 방금 확인했습니다. 또 특허괴물 문제인 것 같군요. 어떤 기술에 대한 주장인가요?
Pronunciation: Ne, bang-geum hwa-gin-haet-seum-ni-da. Tto teuk-heo-goe-mul mun-je-in geot gat-gun-yo. Eo-tteon gi-sur-e dae-han ju-jang-in-ga-yo?
Meaning: Yes, I just checked it. It seems like another patent troll issue. What technology is the claim about? -
Expression: A: 저희 신제품의 통신 모듈 관련 특허라고 합니다. 상당히 광범위한 특허인 것 같습니다.
Pronunciation: Jeo-hui sin-je-pum-ui tong-sin mo-dyul gwal-lyeon teuk-heo-ra-go ham-ni-da. Sang-dang-hi gwang-beom-wi-han teuk-heo-in geot gat-seum-ni-da.
Meaning: They say it’s a patent related to the communication module in our new product. It seems to be a rather broad patent. -
Expression: B: 흠… 우선 법무팀과 상의해서 특허 유효성과 침해 여부를 면밀히 검토해야겠습니다. 선행 기술 조사도 필요하고요.
Pronunciation: Heum… u-seon beom-mu-tim-gwa sang-ui-hae-seo teuk-heo yu-hyo-seong-gwa chim-hae yeo-bu-reul myeon-mil-hi geom-to-hae-ya-get-seum-ni-da. Seon-haeng gi-sul jo-sa-do pil-yo-ha-go-yo.
Meaning: Hmm… First, we need to consult with the legal team to carefully review the patent’s validity and whether infringement occurred. A prior art search is also necessary. -
Expression: A: 네, 맞습니다. 특허괴물과의 소송은 시간과 비용이 많이 드니, 신중하게 대응 전략을 세워야 합니다.
Pronunciation: Ne, mat-seum-ni-da. Teuk-heo-goe-mul-gwa-ui so-song-eun si-gan-gwa bi-yong-i ma-ni deu-ni, sin-jung-ha-ge dae-eung jeol-lya-geul se-wo-ya ham-ni-da.
Meaning: Yes, that’s right. Litigation with patent trolls takes a lot of time and money, so we need to carefully establish a response strategy. -
Expression: B: 필요하다면 라이선스 협상도 고려해 봐야겠지만, 일단 우리 기술의 독자성을 입증하는 데 집중합시다.
Pronunciation: Pil-yo-ha-da-myeon ra-i-seon-seu hyeop-sang-do go-ryeo-hae bwa-ya-get-ji-man, il-dan u-ri gi-sur-ui dok-ja-seong-eul ip-jeung-ha-neun de jip-jung-hap-si-da.
Meaning: We might have to consider license negotiations if necessary, but let’s first focus on proving the originality of our technology.
Practice Tips
Familiarizing yourself with terms like 특허괴물 (teuk-heo-goe-mul) is important for anyone involved in international business or technology! Try reading Korean news articles about intellectual property disputes to see these terms used in context. Practice saying the phrases related to lawsuits and negotiations aloud. You can even role-play the conversation example with a study partner~ Fighting!
