Toy Story's animated character found at N. Korea's fashion show in suspected trademark violation
Disney-Pixar's animation character Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear from "Toy Story 3" on children's clothes are displayed at the spring clothing exhibition held the previous day in Pyongyang in this file photo carried by North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency, April 30. Yonhap
North Korea appears to have violated trademark rights as it displayed clothing with a famous animated character from Disney-Pixar's 2010 movie "Toy Story 3" at the latest fashion exhibition, photos carried by state media showed Friday.
Lots-o'-Huggin' Bear, the main antagonist of the film, also known as Lotso Bear, was found on children's clothes that were presented at the spring clothing exhibition held in Pyongyang on Monday, photos carried by the Korean Central News Agency showed.
There is little possibility that North Korea has formally clinched a deal on design copyrights to produce such clothing, given that the reclusive regime has a track record of violating trademark rights and copyrights.
Balloons pictured with South Korean animated characters from "Super Wings" were spotted in Pyongyang around the birthday of late former leader Kim Jong-il in February, according to footage aired by North Korea's state-run Korean Central Television.
North Korean counterfeit products pirating luxury brands, such as Chanel, Burberry and Dior, were also found to be on display at a department store in Pyongyang, as shown in a video filmed in 2022. (Yonhap)