North Korea: Patent applications by residents

The latest value from 2020 is 6937 patent applications, a decline from 7377 patent applications in 2019. In comparison, the world average is 18880 patent applications, based on data from 118 countries. Historically, the average for North Korea from 2005 to 2020 is 7418 patent applications. The minimum value, 5861 patent applications, was reached in 2005 while the maximum of 8354 patent applications was recorded in 2012. See the global rankings for that indicator or use the country comparator to compare trends over time.

Definition: 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.