Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics have secured spots among the world’s top five companies in international patent filings, showcasing South Korea’s technological prowess and reinforcing its competitive edge in the global market.
According to the latest statistics released by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on the 20th, Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics filed 4,640 and 2,083 patents, respectively, ranking second and fourth in global Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) filings. Samsung maintained its second-place position for the second consecutive year, while LG climbed two spots from sixth place last year.
Samsung saw an 18.2% increase in patent filings compared to the previous year (3,924 patents), marking the largest growth among the top 10 companies. Since 2022, Samsung has consistently held the No. 2 position, demonstrating its commitment to technological innovation and leadership in the global market.
The LG Group also made a strong showing, with three of its affiliates—LG Electronics, LG Energy Solution, and LG Chem—ranking within the top 50. LG Electronics secured sixth place, while LG Energy Solution (1,452 patents) and LG Chem (477 patents) ranked 13th and 44th, respectively. All three companies improved their rankings from the previous year, further solidifying LG’s influence in the global market.
In design patents, LG Electronics maintained its position in the top five, ranking third with 459 design patents—a 12.3% increase from the previous year. However, Samsung saw a sharp decline, dropping from first place in 2023 to sixth place in 2024 after filing 118 fewer design patents. Hyundai Motor, on the other hand, climbed six spots to rank 12th.
Huawei led all global companies in total patent filings, securing the No. 1 position with 6,600 patents. Qualcomm ranked third with 3,848 patents, while CATL came in fifth with 1,993 patents. Apple (18th) and Google (20th) significantly increased their filings by 57.95% and 37.18%, respectively, breaking into the top 20.
Last year, the total number of global patent filings reached 273,900, marking a 0.5% increase from the previous year and signaling a return to growth. In contrast, 2023 saw a 1.8% decline—the first drop in 14 years—amid heightened economic uncertainty. China, the top-ranking country, saw a 0.9% increase in filings, while the U.S. experienced a 2.8% decline. South Korea maintained its fourth-place position, with 23,851 patent filings—a 7.1% increase from the previous year. Notably, Korean companies have recorded continuous growth in patent filings for 27 consecutive years.
