37. The representative of Korea congratulated the Chairman on his appointment and expressed the hope that an outcome to their negotiations would be achievable under his guidance. Like Canada, Korea was concerned by the register proposed in TN/C/W/52. Korean patent officials and IP experts had repeatedly voiced their concerns regarding the difficulty of implementing such a register in Korea. His delegation considered it unfeasible for developing countries to implement any of the elements contained in TN/C/W/52. Although the proposal encompassed special and differential treatment for developing countries, the scope of such treatment was unclear. Developing countries that might already have difficulty in implementing GI protection might be forced to implement a system that would not fit in their domestic system. In this context, he said that, while Ambassador Trevor Clarke's questions had served as a guide to a certain extent, it would be necessary to have more focused discussions on the problems inherent in the TN/C/W/52 proposal, together with more specific and practical questionnaires.
38. He stressed that Korea attached great importance to transparency and inclusiveness in the consultation process and said that ensuring this through regular meetings could be less time-consuming. In this context, Korea would welcome as many open-ended meetings as possible being held in the course of their future work.
