A Historical Review of the Concept of ‘Design’ as ‘Uijang (意匠)’: Acceptance and Development of the Legal Term ‘Design’ in the Korean Design Protection Act

This study investigates the historical development and legal reception of the term ‘design’ within the context of Korea’s Design Protection Act. The current law, renamed in 2005, was previously known as ‘Uijang-beop’ (意 匠法), a title inherited from Japanese law during the colonial period. This legacy illustrates how the legal terminology introduced under Japanese rule remained embedded in the Korean legal system for an extended time. Focusing on the term ‘Uijang’ (意匠), which was introduced into legal discourse in the late 19^th century as a translation of ‘design,’ this study traces its historical trajectory and investigates how the term has influenced the formation of the legal concept of ‘design’ in contemporary Korea.