South Korean internet company Kakao has begun trademark registration procedures for its instant messaging service KakaoTalk in Russia
According to the South Korean newspaper "The Guru", the necessary documents have been submitted to the Federal Intellectual Property Office "Rospatent", and the application is still under consideration.
According to the source, Kakao initiated these procedures last May, seeking to protect its trademark for use in software, mobile applications, messaging, social media, advertising, and several other services. Trademark registration in Russia typically takes 12-14 months.
The South Korean company's interest in the Russian market stemmed from significant shifts in messaging app user preferences. Following restrictions on Telegram and WhatsApp, some Russians began seeking alternative services, and KakaoTalk emerged as one of the unexpected beneficiaries of this situation.
The South Korean messaging app now allows users to register accounts using Russian phone numbers, and its interface is available in Russian. According to The Guru, KakaoTalk's monthly active users in Russia have increased by 82%, exceeding 436,000.
The Russian market represents a significant opportunity for Kakao as part of the company's long-standing efforts to expand its presence outside South Korea. KakaoTalk is the leading messaging app in its home country, but it has yet to achieve similar popularity abroad. The company is particularly focused on developing its services in the United States, Japan, and Southeast Asian countries.
However, the window of opportunity that unexpectedly opened for the Korean company in Russia may not last long. According to media reports, users began experiencing restrictions on accessing KakaoTalk Messenger at the end of July. Similar problems have also surfaced with the BiP messaging app, developed by the Turkish telecommunications company Turkcell.
For its part, Kakao announced that it has not taken any measures to restrict access for foreign users. The Russian communications regulator, Roskomnadzor, has also not officially announced a block on KakaoTalk.
