Park meets WIPO chief

President Park Geun-hye on Thursday met with a UN intellectual property agency chief to discuss cooperation between South Korea and the international agency, her office Cheong Wa Dae said.

During their talks, Park and Francis Gurry, the director general of the World Intellectual Property Organization, exchanged views on cooperative projects, including one to support developing countries in the realm of intellectual property, the presidential office said.

Park used the meeting with Gurry to highlight her signature creative economy policy drive as a "new paradigm for economic development," under which the protection of intellectual property is a top priority.

The creative economy refers to Park's growth strategy that calls for boosting the economy by creating new business opportunities, industries and jobs through the fusion of information and communication technology, culture and other areas.

During the talks, Gurry expressed his appreciation to the Seoul government for its "constructive and active" role in the field of intellectual property, Cheong Wa Dae said.

The WIPO chief also noted that South Korea's economic development based on intellectual property is an "exemplary case" that all developing countries across the globe hope to emulate.

Established in 1967, the Geneva-based WIPO is one of the specialized UN agencies. Since 2008, Gurry has led the agency, which seeks a "balanced and effective" international intellectual property system that enables innovation and creativity for all countries.

The agency currently has 189 member states, including the United States, Japan, China, Germany and France. South Korea joined it in 1979. (Yonhap)