KOICA Seminar Links IP and PRP to Investment Growth in Cambodia

The Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) Cambodia Office, working with the Ministry of Industry, Science, Technology and Innovation (MISTI), the Ministry of Commerce (MoC), the Council for the Development of Cambodia (CDC), and the Cambodia-Korea Alumni Association (CAMKAA), convened a knowledge-sharing seminar in Phnom Penh titled “Promotion of Investment in Cambodia through Intellectual Property and the Patent Recognition Program” at MISTI. On June 2, 2025, KOICA issued a news release confirming next steps under this initiative and a focused training schedule to deepen Cambodia’s capacity in intellectual property and the Patent Recognition Program (PRP).

KOICA hosted a Pre-Departure Orientation for selected government officials from MISTI and MoC ahead of the third-year course of “Capacity Building for Intellectual Property and Patent Recognition Program System in Cambodia (2023–2025).” The training will run in the Republic of Korea from June 8 to June 21, 2025, and will enroll 15 participants in practical modules on trademarks and geographical indications, design, and strategies for commercialisation and technology management. The program targets measurable gains in IP creation and utilisation to support sustainable growth and investment.

The seminar was presided over by Choi Moon Jung, Country Director of KOICA Cambodia; Phork Sovanrith, Secretary of State at MISTI; and Im Sour, President of CAMKAA. Suon Vichea, Director of the Department of Intellectual Property at the Ministry of Commerce, outlined Cambodia’s current IP strategies and highlighted a KOICA–MoC project under consideration—the “Cambodia’s National Trademark Management Center (NTMC) and IP-Business Information Platform Development Project”—scheduled to commence in 2026.

Participants also reviewed PRP procedures, online filing, request statistics, and practical steps to improve patent examination, drawing on lessons from Korea’s IP system. KOICA’s cooperation with Cambodia extends to public health, education, and agriculture through its Capacity Improvement and Advancement for Tomorrow (CIAT) program, which since 1994 has trained 4,179 Cambodian officials. CAMKAA continues to share this expertise across sectors, reinforcing the pipeline of skills that underpin Cambodia’s investment climate.