Lazada partners with Korean intellectual property regulator to protect brands and consumers

SINGAPORE,Nov. 28,2018 -- Leading eCommerce firm in Southeast Asia,Lazada,has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with South Korea's intellectual property regulator,Korea Intellectual Property Protection Agency (KOIPA),to set up a framework that will safeguard the intellectual property rights of Korean brands,and curb illicit trading on the eCommerce platform.

Gladys Chun,General Counsel,Lazada Group (left) and Hae Pyeung,Lee,President,Korea Intellectual Property Protection Agency (KOIPA) (right) shake hands after the signing of the MoU to safeguard the IP rights of Korean brands in countries where Lazada operates

The MOU,which is the first-ever partnership between a South Korean intellectual property regulator and an eCommerce company in Southeast Asia,will enable Lazada and KOIPA to kickstart a process which allows for the reporting and removal of listings that violate the Intellectual Property (IP) rights of Korean brands in countries where Lazada operates. Lazada will leverage its state-of-art technologies and close ties with stakeholders like IP rights holders,trade associations and governments to implement best practices to protect the IP rights. In addition,Lazada and KOIPA will also host a joint seminar about IP rights protection to raise awareness and exchange information about IP rights issues.

"Such measures to curb illicit trading of goods on Lazada are aimed at boosting the confidence and preserving the trust of shoppers on our platform," said Lazada Group's General-Counsel and Head of Government Affairs,Gladys Chun.

"In Lazada,we respect and collaborate with rights holders in safeguarding their IP through a combination of proactive and reactive measures. It is incumbent on us to create that trusted space for shoppers and brands,giving them the peace-of-mind that we will always be acting in their best interests," said Chun.

Hae Pyeung,President of Korea Intellectual Property Protection Agency said: "We are very pleased to partner (with) Lazada in this initiative. Such support for IP protection offers Korean companies the assurance that their brands will remain protected and will attract more Korean sellers to join Lazada to reach their thousands of true fans."

Lazada's partnership with KOIPA is part of ongoing efforts to make Lazada the trusted destination for brands,sellers and shoppers. Recent moves include the launch of LazMall,Southeast Asia's largest shopping mall,which guarantees shoppers the highest-quality shopping experience with 100% authentic products,among other benefits.

With the soaring interest in all things Korean,from dramas,K-Pop,food and celebrities,Korean products are increasingly popular in Southeast Asia. In meeting the surge in demand,as the region's leading online shopping and selling platform,is fully committed to become shoppers' trusted destination for Korean products.

Exports from Korea to ASEAN countries jumped nearly 30% in over the past 12 months,according to Korean broadcaster Arirang News. The Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA),a government body that oversees and coordinates the promotion of Korean content industry,also said that Indonesia is the fastest growing market for Hallyu content with a projected annual growth rate of 11.8 percent up to 2019. It is also the biggest market in Southeast Asia.

About KOIPA

Korea Intellectual property Protection Agency is an establishment set up in South Korea dedicated to the establishment of infrastructure for the protection of intellectual property rights ("IPR") of South Korean sellers domestically and internationally. KOIPA carries out various activities and is committed to supporting and taking action for the protection of IPR domestically with Special Judicial Police Force of Korea Intellectual Property Office. KOIPA provides consultation for the prevention of IPR dispute for Korean companies' advance into overseas markets. Also,KOIPA works together with global e-commerce companies such as Alibaba group to root out the trading of infringing goods. In addition,IP-NAVI portal provides information that anyone can review to resolve issues concerning non-practicing entities (NPE) and trademark brokers.

About Lazada Group

Launched in 2012,Lazada is the number-one online shopping and selling destination in Southeast Asia-- present in Indonesia,Malaysia,the Philippines,Singapore,Thailand and Vietnam. As the pioneer of the eCommerce ecosystem in Southeast Asia,Lazada has 400,000 sellers and 3,000 brands serving 560 million consumers in the region through its marketplace platform,supported by a wide range of tailored marketing,data,and service solutions. With more than 300 million SKUs available,Lazada offers the widest range of products in categories from beauty,fashion,and consumer electronics to household goods,toys,sports equipment and groceries. Focused on delivering an excellent customer experience,it offers multiple payment methods including cash-on-delivery,comprehensive customer care and hassle-free returns through its own first and last mile delivery arm supported by approximately 100 logistics partners. Lazada Group is majority owned by Alibaba Group Holding Limited (NYSE: BABA).

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