The Korean Intellectual Property Office and the Korea Minting and Security Printing Corporation have launched a national authentication mark that lets shoppers scan products with a smartphone to identify counterfeit K-brand goods. The system uses trademark rights to help the government and companies respond to counterfeits distributed overseas.
Counterfeit K-brand cosmetics blocked overseas rose from 16,774 cases in 2023 to 36,116 last year, while an OECD analysis estimated the annual overseas market for counterfeit K-brand products at about KRW 11 trillion in 2024.