Director General for Standards Policy Kang Byung-gu of the the Korean Agency for Technology Standards (KATS) speaks at the 2017 Korea Standard Leadership Conference that opened for a three-day run at the Busan Paradise Hotel in Busan on Dec. 14.

A view of the 2017 Korea Standard Leadership Conference. (Photos: KATS)

The 2017 Korea Standard Leadership Conference that opened for a three-day run at the Busan Paradise Hotel in Busan on Dec. 14 attracted guests from around the world, including international standards experts, company executives and standard experts from industry, academic and research circles. 

The conference, hosted by the Korean Agency for Technology Standards (KATS) and the Korean Standards Association (KSA), was the second rendition of the forum. It was designed to share exemplary corporate management achievements among Korean officials to help the private sector build a standards ecosystem and Korean companies’ success stories on the exploration of overseas markets through standardization.

The 2017 conference had diverse lectures and panel discussions under the main theme “Standardization Strategies to Brace for the Advent of the 4th Industrial Revolution” to lead the standardization of the new era of creating new values through supper-connectivity and super-intelligence among industries, gadgets and systems. 

Keynote lectures were given on the 4th Industrial Revolution and national technology standards policies, while special lectures touched on innovative corporate standards activities. Panel discussions handled strategic companies for convergence industry standardization in an era of the 4th Industrial Revolution, corporate standard management and success stories on international standardization, and international trade & utilization of standards.

Subcommittee sessions the Autumn Academic Forum by the Society for Standards and Standardization; the International Standards Leadership Club; Education on executives of KS certificate companies; the National Standards Policy Consultation Committee; and the education on KS standards accreditation institutes  saw active discusses on standards activities. 

In an opening session speech, Director General for Standards Policy Kang Byung-gu of KATS, said, “It is significant for the private sector to take an initiative in the building of a standards ecosystem to spread Korean companies’ good technologies to the global market and for companies to demonstrate their concern and active participation in international standardization.” The government will establish a new national standardization regime, connect standardization and R&D, introduce a certification regime for the compatibility of new convergence products, and support the private sector’s participation in standardization activities. 

The Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy Award went to Park Won-kyu, a senior researcher of the Korea Advanced Nano Lab Center, and Shin Il-seop, a senior researcher of the Korea Marine Equipment Research Institute. The two were among the seven people who were presented with prizes for their leading roles in standardization. 

Prof. Oh Sam-kyun of Sungkyunkwan University and four others were awarded with a plaque of merit for conducting international standardization activities for more than 10 years.