Monday, October 01, 2007

Cybersquating in Korea

Samsung is involved in a suit against some sort of local Kimbap maker (the site does not work at this moment, sorry) over the www.sens.co.kr domain name. After being involved in a few cases like this in Korea, I feel for Samsung. There are quite a few squatters, and Korean Law does not give too many tools to combat the phenomenon. 

Normally the best way to do this is the squatter is usually a business in a similar industry as the registered trademark the domain embodies. You can then go after them for trademark infringement proper, and make the domain issue peripheral and an easy win. However, Samsung does not have that luxury, Kimbap and electronics are not under the same trademark class.

Of course though, the real good news is this is Samsung. If there is anybody that could possibly work the limited tools against cybersquating in Korea, its lawyers backed up by a company like Samsung. This could offer a good precedent in future cases. Lets keep our fingers crossed.

Now looking beyond the news story linked above, I would love to get some more information. It could be that this Kimbap company could have a very legitimate business using the mark Sens. There use could even predate Samsung's.

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