Korean, Chinese Women Nearly Equal Men in Seeking Patents: Chart

(Bloomberg) -- Women inventors increased their share of international patent applications to 30 percent in 2016 from 22 percent in 2002, the World Intellectual Property Organization said in a report. Female applicants via the Patent Cooperation Treaty system tripled to about 62,400 last year from some 22,600 in 2002. Women in South Korea were closest to gender equality, accounting for 46.9 percent of patent applications, followed by China with 46.8 percent. Biotechnology led the way in gender diversity, with women making up 58 percent of applications, followed by pharmaceuticals with 56 percent.

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