Case Studies
[IT Litigation] Key to Corporate Innovation! Job Invention Reward System for Companies (ft. Invention Promotion Act)
For a company’s continued innovation and securing of competitiveness, it is essential to acquire excellent patent technology. An important role in this process is the Employee Invention Compensation System. This means that when an employee invents something related to their work within the company, the company inherits the rights related to the patent, utility model, and design rights of the invention, and provides fair compensation to the inventor. This system goes beyond a simple compensation scheme and is a key element for motivating R&D personnel and promoting innovation within the company, and acts as an important means of protecting the company’s technological assets. Especially in IT and technology-centered industries where intellectual property rights are directly linked to a company's competitiveness, the operation of the Employee Invention Compensation System is even more important.
[Law firm Veat TIP] Essential copyright legal standards to know in music content services - Differences between digital audio transmission and transfer
The Law firm Veat TIP(Technology Intellectual Property) team has contributed a column to Platum, a startup-focused media platform, discussing legal issues related to the distinction between 'transmission' and 'digital sound transmission'. With the rapid spread of various digital content services such as podcasts, webcasting, and music streaming, whether these services are considered 'transmission' under copyright law, or 'digital sound transmission' affects the permission process for copyright holders and related rights holders. This column explains the legal boundary between the two concepts based on actual court cases, and discusses what startups should consider when designing their services. This column analyzes the differences in the structure of podcasts and webcasting services being classified as 'digital sound transmission' versus being assessed as 'transmission'. This provides practical insights to help content planners, music platform operators, and startups preparing digital content services to establish rational and safe licensing strategies. [Relevant Link] and the image above allow you to view this column. The Law firm Veat TIP team consists of experts with extensive experience and expertise in copyright and intellectual property law. In particular, Senior Counsel Oh Seung-jong, who leads the TIP team, served as a judge at the Seoul Criminal Court starting in 1987, and later at the Seoul District Court, Eastern Branch, Gangneung Branch, Seoul District Court Judge, and Judicial Research Institute professor. He has contributed to the development of copyright law as Chairman of the Copyright Committee. Centered on Counsel Oh Seung-jong, the TIP team provides specialized legal advice on intellectual property legal issues related to innovative technologies such as copyright, intellectual property protection, NFTs, the metaverse, and games. If you need legal advice regarding copyright contracts related to digital sound transmission, transmission, public performance rights, rights interpretation, negotiation with record producers, or response to related rights infringement disputes, please contact Law firm Veat at any time. Thank you. Law firm Veat
Product Liability Law, To what extent is a manufacturer's responsibility for defective products?
Law firm Veat received a request from e-commerce retail company A (hereinafter referred to as "the client") to review the scope of the manufacturer’s responsibility for defective products. As e-commerce has become more active, various products are being directly sold to consumers through online platforms. Particularly, when purchasing products online, consumers make purchase decisions without being able to directly check the goods, which often results in consumer damage due to defective products. Therefore, it is a very important legal issue to determine what responsibilities a manufacturer bears when damages occur due to defective products. Law firm Veat reviewed the client’s specific circumstances, focusing on statutory product liability under the Civil Code, liability for breach of contract, and damages liability under the Product Liability Act, and advised the client on appropriate legal response measures by reviewing the manufacturer's liability under the Civil Code and Product Liability Act. Product Liability Act Manufacturers are liable to compensate for damages to those who have suffered harm to life, body, or property due to defects in their products. This is stipulated in Article 3, Paragraph 1 of the Product Liability Act, and this provision defines the legal responsibility that manufacturers must bear for damages arising from product defects. That is, the Product Liability Act does not apply when the damage caused by a product defect is limited to the decrease in value of the product itself, but if personal or property damage occurs, the manufacturer is liable for damages. For example, if an electronic device ignites and causes a fire, if the surrounding property or building is damaged, the manufacturer may be liable under the Product Liability Act for strict liability. This provision has been established with the intention of more robustly protecting consumers and is an important legal device for quickly and substantially compensating for damages caused by defective products. Statutory Product Liability and Liability for Breach of Contract When a manufacturer directly sells products, the manufacturer may be liable not only under the Product Liability Act, but also under statutory product liability and liability for breach of contract under the Civil Code. 1. Statutory Product Liability (Civil Code Articles 1618, 1619, and 1623) Under the Civil Code, a seller is obligated to supply a product that is capable of normal use in accordance with a sales contract, and must bear certain responsibilities if there are defects in the product. The seller cannot be excused from responsibility when the purpose is not achieved due to defects that existed at the time of the contract, and may be subject to damages or contract rescission. Therefore, if a manufacturer directly sells products to consumers, consumers can sue for statutory product liability based on the Civil Code. 2. Liability for Breach of Contract (Civil Code Article 390) When a manufacturer supplies a defective product, they may be deemed to have failed to properly perform the obligation to perform the sales contract, and may be liable for breach of contract. If a manufacturer simply supplies parts or products, Article 3, Paragraph 1 of the Product Liability Act on strict liability is central, and the scope of damages is limited to third-party property damage or bodily injury beyond the product itself. On the other hand, if the manufacturer directly sells the product, they may be liable for both statutory product liability and liability for breach of contract under the Civil Code, which may expose them to a wider range of damages and legal risks. In particular, a comprehensive consideration of the nature of the defect, the scope of the damage, the consumer's usage method, and the existence of warranty clauses in the contract should be given to precisely assess the degree of legal responsibility that the manufacturer actually bears and the scope of damages. Law firm Veat analyzed the client’s specific business type and product distribution method, and consumer damage cases comprehensively to review the scope of the manufacturer’s responsibility and provided advice to minimize the legal responsibility the client had to bear. Based on its extensive experience and expertise in the e-commerce sector, Law firm Veat provides proactive and strategic legal services for various legal issues arising in the rapidly changing digital market. In particular, it comprehensively analyzes relevant laws and regulations, such as the Civil Code and Product Liability Act, for key issues related to e-commerce, such as product defects, consumer protection, contract disputes, and product liability, and provides practical and customized legal advice tailored to the client’s business characteristics. Understanding the complexity of online distribution structures and accurately coordinating legal liability allocation structures among manufacturers, platforms, and sellers prevents disputes as well as provides high credibility in post-response. Law firm Veat provides regular legal counsel services and membership service programs for clients who require regular legal advice in addition to one-time legal advice, so that clients can efficiently receive prompt and professional legal review whenever they need it. If you need legal advice related to e-commerce, product liability, or statutory product liability, please feel free to contact Law firm Veat. This case study can also be found on the Law firm Veat blog. - What is the scope of a manufacturer's responsibility for defective products? Thank you. Law firm Veat
[Law firm Veat TIP] The heart of the dispute between content rights holders and relay service providers, what is similar transmission?
Law firm Veat’s TIP(TechnologyIntellectualProperty) team has contributed the latest legal issues regarding ‘similar transmission’ to Platum, a specialized media platform for startups. The Veat TIP team revisited the difference between broadcasting and transmission through examples of similar transmission services, analyzing why these two rights should be distinguished. The column specifically explained the criteria for distinguishing between broadcasting and transmission, the causes of related disputes, and legal issues to consider in practice. The column focused on service structures that appear to have a broadcasting format but actually provide utility similar to transmission. Through this, the legal boundary between broadcasting rights and transmission rights was clarified, and the essence of disputes related to similar transmission and practical response measures were explained, to raise awareness of how to secure each right and to enable a thorough review of contract structures. [You can view the column through this link] . This column has provided useful information to related businesses such as content producers, music platforms, and broadcasters. Law firm Veat’s TIP team provides in-depth legal advice on all areas of copyright, including broadcasting rights and transmission rights. In a rapidly changing content distribution environment, we provide comprehensive legal services ranging from contract structure review, license system establishment, right protection preparation, dispute response, and litigation. Furthermore, we provide effective advice to content producers and platform businesses to ensure they clearly understand the legal rights and obligations related to broadcasting and transmission rights, and to enable stable and sustainable content operation. If you need copyright legal advice, including public transmission rights, broadcasting rights, and transmission rights, please feel free to contact Law firm Veat. Thank you. Law firm Veat
[Law firm Veat] Understanding Customized Health Functional Foods and Personal Information Protection through Cerebral Cases
Law firm Veat published a column on ‘customized health functional foods and personal information protection’ regarding global issues and legal response measures on Platum, a media platform specializing in startups. This column analyzed the personal information protection issues in the digital healthcare era and the implications for the customized health functional food industry, focusing on the recent personal information leakage incident involving the US online mental health service provider Cerebral. It was revealed that Cerebral shared information of over 3.1 million users with third-party advertising platforms such as Google, Meta, and TikTok, and the leaked information included not only names, phone numbers, and email addresses, but also sensitive health information such as medical and prescription history and mental health assessment results. In response, the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) imposed a fine of over 7 million dollars, expressing a strong intention to regulate. The digital healthcare and customized health functional food industries inevitably handle sensitive personal information to provide personalized services. Therefore, balancing personal information protection and innovation is becoming an important task, and this column addressed the following key issues: - Balancing innovation and privacy protection: How can customized health functional food companies balance providing personalized services and protecting personal information? - The pace of technological advancement and the responsiveness of regulations: What are the limitations of personal information protection regulations as seen through the Cerebral incident, and what is the direction for future legal systems? - The balance point of personal information utilization and protection: The need for social consensus and transparent policies regarding the protection and management of information collected in customized health functional food services. This column emphasized that companies need to take not only technical measures such as data encryption, access control, and security audits to strengthen personal information protection, but also policy measures such as increasing transparency of personal information processing and strengthening user consent procedures. [Check the detailed content of this column through this link]. Law firm Veat is providing various legal advice related to digital healthcare and customized health functional food industries, including personal information protection, data security, and regulatory response. In particular, it provides legal advice to AI and big data-based healthcare services and customized health functional food companies so that they can comply with relevant laws and regulations and grow stably. In particular, Joo-hyeong, Director and Professional Member of the Food Regulatory Consulting Team of Law firm Veat is an expert in the field of domestic food safety and systems, having served as a concurrent professor at the Food Safety Regulatory Science Department of Chung-Ang University and having served as a professional member of various government agencies and academic organizations, providing in-depth legal advice on domestic and international food regulations and export strategies. Companies in the digital healthcare and AI health food industries that need legal risk management are welcome to contact Law firm Veat at any time. Thank you. Law firm Veat
How to handle termination of investment contract upon departure of interested parties – Investment contract advisory case
Law firm Veat received a request from Company A, an enterprise that has secured investment (hereinafter referred to as "the client"), and drafted an agreement related to the investment contract necessary when an interest holder retires pursuant to the investment contract. Generally, an investment contract means more than just providing funds, and contracting parties must fulfill certain obligations. Particularly, when a core interest holder such as a company’s management or a major shareholder retires, investors can be sensitive to changes in the existing contract terms. Law firm Veat drafted an agreement that thoroughly reviewed the obligations and sanctions under the investment contract when an interest holder retires pursuant to the investment contract, strong> so as not to infringe on the investor's rights while reasonably organizing the rights and obligations of the retiring interest holder. The agreement focused on establishing clear criteria for the continued existence, performance, or termination of rights through consultation with investors, not a simple contract termination or exemption. Specifically, it fulfilled the obligations to obtain consent and notify the investor regarding matters that require the investor’s prior consent, and clarified the rights and obligations in a manner of maintaining, performing, terminating, or confirming rights, or relinquishing rights, depending on the type of investor’s rights and the content of the consultation, considering that the agreement is intended to terminate the investment contract concerning a specific interest holder. Key Elements of an Investment Contract Termination Agreement ▶ Investor’s Consent and Notification Obligations Protecting the investor's rights is an important factor in the investment contract. Therefore, when an investment contract changes due to the retirement of a specific interest holder, matters requiring the investor's consent and matters that must be notified strong> must be clearly organized. Particularly, when there are multiple investors, their rights and their standing in the contract may differ, so the contract must be coordinated in a manner that accommodates each party's interest while organizing them comprehensively. This allows the company to maintain investor confidence while minimizing legal risks. ▶ Review of Obligations and Sanction Clauses under the Investment Contract The investment contract may include various obligations and sanction clauses. For example, even when an interest holder retires, they may still be obligated to comply with a non-compete obligation for a certain period, or they may need to meet certain conditions to protect the investor. Accordingly, it is important to analyze the contract thoroughly and specifically stipulate the parts that must be fulfilled and the parts that can be exempted. ▶ Establishing the Method of Investment Contract Termination The method of terminating the investment contract strong> can be varied depending on the investor’s rights protection and the company’s operational needs. When an interest holder retires, the contract can be adjusted in a manner of maintaining, performing, terminating, confirming rights, or relinquishing rights, and the scope of the investor’s rights must be clarified so that the investor does not suffer disadvantage after the contract termination. Amidst rapidly changing market conditions, a company's investment is more than just an inflow of funds; it is an important milestone that determines the company's direction and future. Especially, investment contracts entered into by growth-stage companies, including startups, have very complex structures and content, and even a minor clause can lead to major legal disputes. Law firm Veat meticulously analyzed the investment contract, reviewed the obligations given to the interest holder, and clearly explained the matters that required the investor’s prior consent and the changes arising from the retirement of a specific interest holder pursuant to the investment contract. This enabled the company to maintain the investment contract while preventing legal confusion due to the retirement of a specific interest holder, protecting the investor's rights, and ensuring the continuity of the company's operations by providing systematic legal support. The termination of an investment contract is not a simple procedure but an important process to maintain trust between the investor and the company and to minimize legal risks, so thorough review and adjustment by experts is essential. Law firm Veat will continue to provide customized solutions to legal issues related to a company’s investment contract and contribute to creating a stable business environment. If you need legal advice regarding investment contract termination agreements or other investment contract-related legal matters, please feel free to contact Law firm Veat. This case study can also be found on Law firm Veat’s blog. - How to Organize Retirement of Interest Holder – Investment Contract Agreement Consultation Case Thank you. Law firm Veat
[IT Litigation] Initial Steps for Intellectual Property Response Copyright Protection Strategies for Companies
When images, documents, videos, and other copyrighted works held by a company are used without permission by a third party, this may constitute a serious copyright infringement. In such situations, companies need to actively respond for legal protection and consider various legal actions based on the Copyright Act. First Response for a Company When Copyright Infringement Occurs: Sending a Warning Letter and Content Verification
Law firm Veat, 'Selected as a High-Growth Company in the Asia-Pacific Region in 2025'
Law firm Veat was finalized as one of the ‘2025 Asia-Pacific High-Growth Companies’, jointly conducted by the Financial Times, a UK economic expert media, and the global statistics research agency, Statista. This evaluation was conducted on over 15,000 companies headquartered in 13 Asia-Pacific countries, including South Korea, and the top 500 companies were selected based on their three-year average annual revenue growth rate. The 2025 survey results included 91 South Korean companies, and Law firm Veat was selected as a rare case in the legal services sector, demonstrating its expertise and sustainability externally.
[Law firm Veat TIP] Content creators, platform operators must-read! Copyright issues depending on the distinction between broadcasting and transmission
Law firm Veat TIP (Technology Intellectual Property) team contributed to Platum, a specialized media platform for startups, regarding legal issues related to the distinction between broadcast and transmission. Recently, broadcasters not only provide programs in real time via radio waves as before, but also operate a replay (VOD) service on their own websites. Accordingly, simply having a ‘broadcast right’ is no longer sufficient, and it is becoming necessary to separately secure a ‘transmission right.’ This column explains the difference between broadcast and transmission with specific examples, and details why these two rights must be recognized separately. This column clearly distinguishes between broadcast and transmission rights, and introduces contract execution and legal disputes related to them. It provides useful information for content producers, broadcasters, and platform operators, encouraging them to carefully review contract structures and pay attention to how to secure broadcast and transmission rights respectively. [This link] allows you to view this column. This column provides practically useful information for companies dealing with broadcast and transmission rights, such as content producers, broadcasters, and platform operators. Law firm Veat TIP team provides professional legal support for intellectual property rights, including contract review and negotiation of broadcast and transmission rights, establishment of copyright protection strategies, and copyright litigation. It also provides effective legal advice to content producers and platform companies to clarify copyright contracts and legal issues related to broadcast and transmission rights, enabling stable content operation. If you require legal advice regarding copyright-related legal issues, including broadcasting rights, transmission rights, and public transmission rights, please feel free to contact Law firm Veat. Thank you. Law firm Veat
[Personal Information Protection] Resident Registration Number, Is it Okay to Process?
Law firm Veat recently received an inquiry from a sales company (hereinafter referred to as “the client”) regarding the legality of processing resident registration numbers of the client and those of persons entrusted by the client to sell automobiles. In response, Law firm Veat provided detailed legal advice. What’s the difference in processing resident registration numbers? The Personal Information Protection Act consists of provisions to protect personal information of information subjects. Among them, resident registration numbers are important personal information, and their processing requirements are stricter than those of general personal information. That is, even if the information subject consents to its collection and use, except for cases where the law or other regulations specifically requires or allows the processing of resident registration numbers, the personal information processor cannot process resident registration numbers (reference to Article 1, Paragraph 1, Clause 1 of the Personal Information Protection Act). Therefore, those who intend to process resident registration numbers must operate their business taking into account these differences. Legal Regulations Concerning Resident Registration Numbers automobile manufacturing certificate information to the computer processing organization pursuant to the provisions of the Enforcement Decree of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and shall apply for new registration without delay in the name of the person who shall be substituted. However, this shall not apply when the person directly applies for new registration according to the provisions of the Enforcement Decree of the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. According to the Act on Automotive Management, when an automobile manufacturer, seller, etc. sells an automobile, it is obligated to transmit the automobile manufacturing certificate information and apply for new registration. In order to prepare an automobile manufacturing certificate and a new automobile registration application, it is necessary to know the resident registration number of the automobile purchaser. Law firm Veat considered this point and reviewed whether the processing of the purchaser's resident registration number by an automobile seller or a person entrusted to sell automobiles could be deemed as a case where the law or other regulations specifically requires the processing of resident registration numbers in accordance with the Act on Automotive Management. Registration number of the recipient. However, if the recipient is not a business operator or is not a registered business operator, a unique number prescribed by Presidential Decree or the recipient’s resident registration number