(1) A person who initiates a patent-related procedure may convert a patent application and other documents to be filed with the Commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office or the President of the Korean Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board under this Act, into electronic documents by the method prescribed by Ordinance of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and submit them via an information and communications network or by means of any electronic recording medium, such as a portable storage device.
(2) Electronic documents submitted under paragraph (1) shall be as valid as paper documents submitted under this Act.
(3) An electronic document submitted via an information and communications network under paragraph (1) shall be deemed received as the contents recorded in the file saved in the electronic information processing system used by the Korean Intellectual Property Office or the Korean Intellectual Property Trial and Appeal Board to receive documents at the time the person who submits the document can confirm the filing number via the information and communications network.
(4) The kinds of documents that can be submitted by electronic documents under paragraph (1), the method of submission, and other matters necessary for submitting documents as electronic documents shall be prescribed by Ordinance of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.[This Article Wholly Amended on Jun. 11, 2014]