Supreme Court Decision 2011Da64836 Decided April 26, 2013 about Confirmation, etc., xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay Domain Address Possession

Main Issues and Holdings

[1] The purpose xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay prohibiting an act xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay registering domain names for unlawful purposes, etc., under Article 12 xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the Internet Address Resources Act, and the standard for determining “unlawful purposes”

[2] In a case where Gap registered and possessed a domain name (k2.co.kr) which includes Eul corporation’s trademark “,” the case affirming the judgment below which held that Gap’s registration and possession xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the aforementioned domain name were for “unlawful purposes” as provided by Article 12 xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the Internet Address Resources Act

Summary xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay Decision

[1] Articles 12(1) and 12(2) xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the Internet Address Resources Act provide that anyone who obstructs the registration xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay any domain name, etc., xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay persons who have a legitimate source xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay authority, or registers, possesses or uses a domain name for unlawful purposes, such as reaping illegal profits from persons who have a legitimate source xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay authority (hereinafter “persons with legitimate authority”), the persons with legitimate authority may request the cancellation xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay such domain name or transfer xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay registration xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay such domain name, etc., to a court. The purposes xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the above provision are to guarantee the registration and use xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay domain names owned by persons with legitimate authority and to avert Internet users’ confusion, etc. regarding domain names by preventing acts xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay so-called “cyber-squatting.” In principle, domain names can be registered freely in order xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay application; however, cybersquatting refers to an act xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay occupying domain names for unlawful purposes and abusing the fact that the same domain name cannot be registered repeatedly. Meanwhile, the above “unlawful purposes” should be determined by considering the following: the degree xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay recognition or creativity xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the name, trade name, trademark, service mark and any other marks (hereinafter “subject mark”) xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the person with legitimate authority; degree xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay identity and/or similarities between the domain name and the subject mark; whether the registrant/owner or user xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the domain name was aware xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the subject mark, and whether s/he had a history xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay attempting to gain economic profit by selling or loaning the domain name; whether a website under the domain name was made, andwhether the website was actually up and running; the identity and/or similarities xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the product or service etc. xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the website and the product or service etc. xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the subject mark, or whether they were economically related; whether Internet users are lured to the website by the trust and customer appeal embodied by the subject mark; and circumstances surrounding the registration/possession or use xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the domain name. However, it should be assumed that those with legitimate authority or profit concerning the registration/possession or use xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the domain name do not have such unlawful purposes, unless in unusual circumstances.

[2] In a case where Gap registered and possessed a domain name (k2.co.kr) which includes Eul corporation trademark “,” the judgment below held that Gap had “unlawful purposes” provided by Article 12 xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the Internet Address Resources Act upon considering that Eul corporation is using trademarks identical to “” for climbing equipments, Gap was aware that Eul used such trademarks when registering the domain name, Eul corporation’s “” has acquired wide recognition as a climbing equipment brand, and the website which opened under the above domain name was not properly managed, and thus Gap gains no particular profit by owning the above domain name, while there exist unlawful purposes, such as obstructing Eul’s (who has legitimate authority) domain name registration. The court affirmed the judgment below.

Reference Provisions

[1] Articles 12(1) and 12(2) xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the Internet Address Resources Act / [2] Articles 12(1) and 12(2) xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the Internet Address Resources Act

Article 12 xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the Internet Address Resources Act (Prohibiting Registration xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay Domain Names for Unlawful Purposes)

(1) No one shall obstruct the registration xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay any domain name, etc. xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay persons who have a legitimate source xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay authority, or register, possess or use domain name for unlawful purposes, such as reaping illegal profits from persons who have a legitimate source xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay authority.

(2) When anyone registers, possesses or uses a domain name, etc., in violation xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay paragraph (1), persons who have a legitimate source xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay authority may request the cancellation xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay such domain name or transfer xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay registration xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay such domain name, etc., to a court. (Amended by Act No. 9782, June 9, 2009)

Plaintiff-Appellant Plaintiff (Hangang Law Corporation, Attorney Kim Hak-geum, Counsel for plaintiff-appellant)

Defendant-AppelleeK2 Korea Co. (Lee & Ko, Attorneys Seo Mu-song, et al., Counsel for defendant-appellee)

Judgment xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the court below Seoul High Court Decision 2010Na106353 decided June 30, 2011

Disposition The appeal is dismissed. The costs xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay appeal are assessed against Plaintiff.

Reasoning The grounds xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay appeal are examined.

1. Articles 12(1) and 12(2) xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the Internet Address Resources Act provides that anyone who obstructs the registration xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay any domain name, etc. xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay persons who have a legitimate source xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay authority, or registers, possesses or uses a domain name for unlawful purposes, such as reaping illegal profits from persons who have a legitimate source xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay authority (hereinafter “persons with legitimate authority”), the persons with legitimate authority may request the cancellation xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay such domain name or transfer xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay registration xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay such domain name, etc. to a court. The purposes xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the above provision are to guarantee registration and use xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay domain names owned by persons with legitimate authority and to avert Internet users’ confusion, etc. regarding domain names by preventing acts xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay so-called “cyber-squatting.” In principle, domain names can be registered freely in order xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay application; however, cybersquatting refers to an act xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay occupying domain names for unlawful purposes and abusing the fact that the same domain name cannot be registered repeatedly. Meanwhile, the above “unlawful purposes” should be determined by considering the following: the degree xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay recognition or creativity xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the name, trade name, trademark, service mark and any other marks (hereinafter “subject mark”) xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the person with legitimate authority; degree xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay identity and/or similarities between the domain name and the subject mark; whether the registrant/owner or user xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the domain name was aware xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the subject mark, and whether s/he had a history xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay attempting to gain economic profit by selling or loaning the domain name; whether a website under the domain name was made, and whether the website was actually up and running; the identity and/or similarities xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the product or service etc. xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the website and the product or service etc. xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the subject mark, or whether they were economically related; whether Internet users are lured to the website by the trust and customer appeal embodied by the subject mark; and the circumstances surrounding the registration/possession or use xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the domain name. However, it should be assumed that those with legitimate authority or profit concerning the registration/possession or use xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the domain name do not have such unlawful purposes, unless in unusual circumstances.

2. Based upon consideration xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the following circumstances, the court below determined that Plaintiff gains no particular profit by currently owning the domain name “k2.co.kr” (hereinafter “domain name xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay this case”) since registering the name on Jan. 28, 2000, and there exist unlawful purposes, such as obstructing the domain name registration xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay Defendant (i.e., a person with legitimate authority).

① Since 1972, Plaintiff has used trademarks identical to “” on climbing equipment, and was presumably aware that Defendant used such trademarks when registering the domain name xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay this case; ② Defendant trademark “” has acquired wide recognition as a climbing equipment brand ③ The website which opened under the domain name xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay this case had not been properly run, and it was closed from around 2008 up to Dec. 14, 2009, when Defendant applied to the Internet Address Dispute Resolution Committee to resolve the dispute over the domain name xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay this case.

3. Upon examining the records in light xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the aforementioned legal principles, the above determination xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the court below is acceptable. Contrary to the allegation in the grounds xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay appeal, the court below did not err by misapprehending the legal principles on “unlawful purposes” as provided by Article 12(1) xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay the Internet Address Resources Act, or by acknowledging facts against the principle xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay reason and experience.

4. Therefore the appeal is dismissed, and the costs xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay appeal are assessed against the defeated party. It is so decided as per Disposition by the assent xoilac tv trực tiếp bóng đá hôm nay all participating Justices.

Justices

Ko Young-han (Presiding Justice)

Yang Chang-soo (Justice in charge)

Park Byoung-dae

Kim Chang-suk