Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information (한국컴퓨터정보학회논문지)

Korean Society of Computer Information (한국컴퓨터정보학회)
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A Study on the Judgment Criteria for the Trademark Dilution of Famous Marks

  • Received : 2019.09.11
  • Accepted : 2019.10.06
  • Published : 2019.10.31
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Abstract

The trademark dilution of famous marks as a kind of unfair competition practice is defined and regulated in Article 2 (1) (c) of the Unfair Competition Prevention and Trade Secret Protection Act (hereinafter referred to as the Unfair Competition Prevention Act), which was newly established according to the amendment of the Act on February 3, 2001. Famous trademarks are universally protected in all around the world, which are likewise protected in the Republic of Korea by the Unfair Competition Prevention Actin line with such international trends. In order to establish the trademark dilution of famous marks, it is necessary to have the following characteristics: (1) high reputation of the original mark, (2) use of identical or similar markscompared to the original mark, (3) occurrence of blurring of discrimination or tarnishment of reputation; in particular, with respect to the degree of proof of 'blurring of discrimination or tarnishment of reputation', which is a constituent requirement of the trademark dilution of famous marks, it is reasonable to interpret the trademark dilution as concrete endangerment offense, neither harm-based offense nor abstract endangerment offense, and thus it should be considered that the crime is established if a specific realistic risk of blurring of discrimination or tarnishment of reputation occurs. Furthermore, in relation to the specific criteria of 'blurring of discrimination or tarnishment of reputation', it is necessary to comprehensively judge the degree of individual behavior in specific matters as a normative factor as well as the psychosocial viewpoint of the general public.

2001.2.3.자 부정경쟁방지법의 개정으로 신설된 제2조 제1호 (다)목에서는 부정경쟁행위의 한 종류로서 저명상표 희석행위에 대해 정의하고 이를 규제하고 있다. 저명상표는 세계 각국에서 보편적으로 보호되고 있는데 우리나라도 이와 같은 국제적인 조류에 맞추어 부정경쟁방지법에서 저명상표를 보호하고 있다. 저명상표 희석범죄가 성립하기 위해서는 (1)표지의 저명성 (2)표장의 동일 유사 (3)식별력 약화 또는 명성 손상을 요건으로 하는데, 특히 저명상표 희석범죄의 구성요건적 결과인 '식별력 약화 또는 명성손상'의 입증정도와 관련하여 저명상표 희석범죄는 침해범이나 추상적 위험범이 아닌 구체적 위험범이라고 해석함이 타당한 바, 식별력 약화 또는 명성 손상의 구체적 현실적 위험이 발생하면 본 죄가 성립하는 것으로 보아야 한다. 나아가 '식별력 약화 또는 명성 손상'의 구체적 판단 기준과 관련하여, 일반 대중의 사회 심리적 관점뿐만 아니라 구체적 사안에서의 개별 행위태양의 반(反) 가치정도를 규범적 요소로서 고려하여 종합적으로 판단함이 상당하다.

Keywords

References

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