Republic of Korea: Bill amending the Act on the Prevention of Unfair Competition and Protection of Trade Secrets (Bill No. 16918) was introduced to the National Assembly

On 20 February 2026, the Bill Amending the Act on the Prevention of Unfair Competition and Protection of Trade Secrets (Bill No. 16918) was introduced to the National Assembly. The Bill would expand the scope of the original copy certification system to cover ideas with economic value, in addition to trade secrets. Under the proposed amendments to Article 9-2, holders of ideas or trade secrets with economic value would be permitted to register electronic fingerprints with the Ideas and Trade Secrets Original Copy Certification Authority. Article 9-3 would be amended to extend original copy certification services to electronic documents containing ideas or trade secrets. Article 9-8 would be retitled "Prohibition of Destruction of Ideas and Trade Secrets" and would apply to ideas as well as trade secrets. The Bill would enter into force six months after promulgation.