Korean Court Rules Refashioning Luxury Bags Legal

South Korea's Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that refashioning customers' branded Louis Vuitton handbags for personal use does not constitute trademark infringement, overturning lower-court verdicts and remanding the case to the Patent Court. The justices outlined factors—including who controls design, the source of materials, and commercial distribution—and said trademark holders must prove any "special circumstances" to establish infringement.