KIPO awarded special award for independence activists who had contributed to Korea's independence

Korea's patent office recently made a special acknowledgement of the inventions by individuals who sought innovation to support the country's independence.

Cha Yun-kyung explains.

The Korean Intellectual Property Office held a memorial ceremony to honor Mr. Kwon Do-in, a patriotic independence activist based in the U.S. who was also an inventor.

Kwon is remembered for his contributions to both Korea's independence movement and the advancement of invention.

He was also the first Korean to apply for a patent in the U.S., with an apparatus that prevented damage to the body of a sewing machine.

Mr. Kwon also applied for a patent for a curtain made from bamboo, which had become quite popular in the U.S.

Mr. Jeong In-ho, the first Korean to apply for a patent in Korea, invented a horsehair hat in 1909, to raise funds for the independence movement.

Marking the 60th anniversary of Inventors' Day, the KIPO has come up with special achievement awards for independence activists who contributed to Korea's independence movement through invention during the Japanese colonial era.

This year's award for great inventor went to a company that developed an electric semiconductor module for electric cars and robots.

Cha Yun-kyung, Arirang News.