.kuokgroup Domain

THE MISSION AND PURPOSE OF THE NEW RESTRICTED .KUOKGROUP gTLD IS TO BENEFIT INTERNET USERS BY ENSURING INCREASED TRUST, CONFIDENCE AND UTILITY THROUGH THE ELIMINATION OF USER CONFUSION AND ASSURANCE OF BRAND AUTHENTICITY.

The new .kuokgroup gTLD will operate as a restricted registry, in which Kerry Trading Co. Limited (Kerry Trading) can create and control domain spaces that promote the Kuok Group brand's identity and authenticity. In this regard, .kuokgroup will be used by Kerry Trading as an authoritative internet space to provide information, services and resources to customers of Kuok Group in a way that promotes trust, convenience and utility. Second and third level domain names can then be utilised by Kerry Trading, its affiliates and partners that are associated with the Kuok Group for marketing and customer engagement purposes, with internet users assured of brand authenticity.

The applicant, Kerry Trading, is a subsidiary entity of Kerry Holdings Limited, which is one of three holding companies within the Kuok Group of companies (Kuok Group). Kuok Group was first established in Malaysia in 1949 and expanded its operations to Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, China and Hong Kong over the years. While focusing on rice, sugar and wheat flour trading and related activities, it has also pursued new business and trading opportunities including commodities trading. The Kuok Group has expanded its trading links with companies in Paris, London, New York, Moscow and China.

Today, Kuok Group is one of Asia's most diversified and dynamic multinational conglomerates with over tens of thousands of employees in offices worldwide. Kuok Group's business activities include commodity trading, oil palm plantations and refineries, flour milling, property development (residential, commercial and industrial), logistics, hotel development and management, shipping, insurance and media. Kuok Group, through its affiliate, Shangri-La International Management Limited, operates the Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts as well as the Traders Hotels and Kerry Hotels brands. The term "Kuok Group" is widely used to identify a company as being part of the Kuok Group in its companies' websites. It is also often referred to by the media to describe the Kuok Group of companies around the world.

Since the inception of the current domain name system, business activities conducted on the internet are constantly changing and evolving with increased complexity. The volume of commercial transactions over the internet is constantly growing and bringing benefits of simplicity and lowered transaction costs to businesses and consumers. However, at the same time, criminal activities over the internet including data breach, hacking and phishing activities have also become more sophisticated resulting in loss of consumer confidence beyond mere monetary harm. The .kuokgroup gTLD will facilitate greater trust and assurance from internet users connecting with Kuok Group online, whilst still allowing convenient and effective interaction.

Kerry Trading's mission and purpose of the proposed new gTLD share ICANN's initiatives to promote public interest. Kerry Trading is committed to contribute towards achieving such initiatives in line with ICANN's Affirmation of Commitments, which includes:

- consumer trust: the .kuokgroup gTLD registry will be operated in a centralised manner with a restrictive registration policy. Registration of domain names will only be available to Kerry Trading and its affiliate and associated entities in connection with the operation of Kuok Group, at this stage. This will provide added consumer trust that the .kuokgroup domain names are trustworthy. As the .kuokgroup domain names are subject to registration standards, policies and procedures under Kerry Trading's control, this eliminates the possibility of malicious conduct within the .kuokgroup domain space;

- competition: the proposed new gTLD is not intended to instigate competition and consumer choice at the level of registration of domain names among prospective registrants. Instead it is anticipated to contribute to ICANN's initiatives to promote public interest through its operation focused on promoting consumer trust. Increased trust in the .kuokgroup gTLD will drive existing and new top level domain (TLD) registry operators to make improvements in mechanisms to improve consumer trust of their TLDs; and

- consumer choice: the proposed new gTLD will enable user-driven improvements and innovations assisting Kerry Trading's marketing efforts through its ability to create new second and third level domain names on demand relevant to Kuok Group. These names will provide the consumers with more choices for interacting with Kerry Trading and Kuok Group online. As Kerry Trading has effective control over the registration and use of domain names under the .kuokgroup domain space, this will also contribute towards general service innovations on the internet.


Given the restricted nature of the .kuokgroup gTLD, the projected number of registration is likely to be limited. It is anticipated that 25 domain names will be registered in the first year. However, over the next few years, the number of registrations is likely to increase as Kerry Trading develops and implements new services and marketing campaigns relevant to Kuok Group's activities.

As the new .kuokgroup gTLD expands and evolves, Kerry Trading will continue to comply with all operational, technical and policy requirements, as well as maintaining consumer trust and the stability of the internet. Kerry Trading will keep ICANN reasonably informed of any material developments relating to the .kuokgroup gTLD including compliance with the continued operations instrument obligations as set out in Specification 8 of the Registry Agreement.

Kerry Trading intends to create relevant domain names for use including product, services or geographic names in the second or third level domain names. In accordance with registration policy and the proposed measures for protection of geographic names as outlined in response to Question 22, Kerry Trading will use geographic names to localise its websites in the countries and regions in which Kuok Group operates. The use of geographic names is intended to:

- connect internet users with relevant information as applicable to the territory; and

- comply with required rules and regulations in the national territory.


Kerry Trading does not intend to utilise Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) at the second level initially. However, as the use of the .kuokgroup gTLD evolves, Kerry Trading may utilise IDNs within the .kuokgroup domain space to allow internet users to engage with .kuokgroup in their native language, creating a more positive user experience and encouraging diversity.

Kerry Trading has 6 existing domain names containing an exact match with the applied-for .kuokgroup in the following spaces:

- gTLDs: kuokgroup.com, kuokgroup.biz

- country-code TLDs (ccTLDs): kuokgroup.hk, kuokgroup.com.my, kuokgroup.com.sg, kuokgroup.sg


Further, Kerry Trading has 4 existing domain names containing an exact match with the Chinese (both traditional and simplified) versions of the applied-for string in the following spaces:

- gTLDs: 郭氏集團.公司 (IDN .com), 郭氏集团.公司 (IDN .com)

- ccTLDs: 郭氏集團.中國 (IDN .cn), 郭氏集团.中国 (IDN .cn)


Kerry Trading believes that the .kuokgroup gTLD is unlikely to cause confusion with either a generic term or any existing TLDs. The Kuok Group is a leading global brand with significant reputation around the world with its brand used in conjunction with its trading and related businesses for over 60 years.×