본문 바로가기
  • Home

A Study on the Problems of Geographical Indications and a Regional Development Plan in Korea

  • Journal of Regional Studies and Development
  • Abbr : JRSD
  • 2010, 19(1), pp.139-161
  • Publisher : Institute for Poverty Alleviation and International Development: IPAID
  • Research Area : Social Science > Area Studies > Regional Studies in general > Comparative / Statistical Regional Studies

전현진 1 Joo-Heon Lee 1

1연세대학교

Candidate

ABSTRACT

In the past, everyone had the right to use any geographical indications. However, geographical indications are now granted to local registered producer groups and can be protected by national and international laws. In other words, geographical indications are now a type of intellectual property rights. The legal protection of geographical indications seems to provide an incentive for local producers to manage and enhance the quality and reputation of excellent local special products. Also, it provides a means to stimulate economic growth in rural areas by opening up markets for high quality products and creating local jobs. In Europe, since 1930s, the protection of geographical indications only for wines and spirits has been in force. However, since 1990s, most agricultural products are protected as geographical indications in European countries. They demand to provide protection equivalent to intellectual property rights. Since 2000, the Korean government started to build regulatory and supportive infrastructures for geographical indications. In 2009, 79 agricultural and local specialty products were registered. In Korea, not so many studies regarding geographical indications have been performed and published yet. Thus, besides the income growth of rural areas and the trade negotiations with developed countries including European Union, our regulatory and supportive infrastructure of geographical indications should be evolved into a more sophisticated regional innovation system that can be used for systematically managing agricultural and specialty products. The purpose of this study is as follows. First, the historical backgrounds and the basic concepts of geographical indications would be reviewed. Second, the impacts of geographical indications to the production and the distribution system will be investigated. Third, we will provide a couple of suggestions that can help to create a regional innovation system in rural areas.

Citation status

* References for papers published after 2023 are currently being built.