In either of the following cases, the Commissioner of the Korean Intellectual Property Office may instruct an examiner to examine a patent application in preference to other patent applications: <Amended on Dec. 22, 2020>
1. Where it is found that any person, other than the patent applicant, is practicing for business purposes the invention claimed in the patent application after it is laid open under Article 64;
2. Where it is deemed necessary to urgently process a patent application prescribed by Presidential Decree;
3. Where a patent application prescribed by Presidential Decree is deemed necessary for disaster prevention, response, recovery, etc.[This Article Wholly Amended on Jun. 11, 2014]