PCT National Phase Entry in Korea: Deadline, Requirements and Cost

Korea receives more than 43,000 PCT national phase entries a year — the fifth-largest volume of any office worldwide. It is also one of the easiest major jurisdictions to enter, procedurally. This guide covers the three things foreign counsel ask us most often: the deadline, the document list, and the real cost.

The deadline: 31 months, plus a little-known extension

The deadline to enter the Korean national phase is 31 months from the earliest priority date (Korean Patent Act, Art. 201). Korea additionally allows a 1-month extension for filing the Korean translation — to 32 months — provided the extension is requested within the 31-month period. The official fee for the extension is ₩20,000 (about USD 15).

Two cautions. First, the extension applies to the translation; the entry itself must still be made in time. Second, Korea has no general "late entry" or reinstatement mechanism once the deadline passes — see our guide on missed deadlines. If you are close to the deadline, engage a Korean agent first and complete the paperwork afterwards.

What you actually need (less than you think)

• Bibliographic data — the PCT number and applicant details.
• Korean translation of the description, claims, drawing text and abstract. No verification or certification of the translation is required.
• Official fee — ₩46,000 (about USD 33) for electronic filing, flat, with no per-claim fee at entry.
• Power of Attorney — a simple signed scan. No notarization, no legalization, and it may be regularized after filing.

Not required: inventor declarations or oaths, assignments, certified priority documents (WIPO already holds them), or a verified translation. Non-resident applicants must act through a registered Korean patent attorney (Art. 5) — that is the one genuine requirement.

Examination can wait — and usually should

Korea separates filing from examination. A request for examination may be filed up to 3 years from the international filing date, and its official fee (₩166,000 + ₩51,000 per claim) is only due then. Most of our clients defer, preserving cash flow and the option to trim claims before the per-claim fee attaches. Details in our examination guide.

What it costs in 2026

Translation dominates the budget — roughly three-quarters of the entry-stage cost for an average specification. That is why per-word transparency matters more than the attorney fee headline. A full breakdown is in our cost guide.