South Korean tech giants Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics were the world’s top two applicants in industrial design rights in 2017, according to data from the World Intellectual Property Organization.

The number of designs under the Hague System grew by 3.8 percent last year to reach 19,429 designs, marking 11 consecutive years of growth, WIPO said Wednesday in a press release.

The Hague System is a leading international application and registration procedure administered by WIPO. It allows design right holders to obtain protection in multiple states upon a single application.
 

By country, Germany took the lead with 4,261 designs, followed by Switzerland, South Korea, the US and France. Showing the fastest growth was Belgium, which marked a 189.2 percent on-year increase.

In terms of individual companies, Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics were listed as the No. 1 and No. 2 design applicants, with 762 designs and 668 designs respectively. The two South Korean players pushed Dutch furniture company Fonkel Meubelmarketing from the top spot in 2016 to third place.

By Bae Hyun-jung (tellme@heraldcorp.com)