Administrator Lee Seung-woo of the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) gives a speech at a ceremony to mark the 2019 anniversary of World Standards Day at EL Tower in Seoul on Oct. 17.

Administrator Lee Seung-woo of the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) called for those in the standards sector to play a bigger part in helping Korea become a global leader in all industries, including the raw materials, parts and equipment sectors by spearheading global standards.

“Currently, we live in an era in which all information is shared via videos, and a driving force behind that is video standards,” he said. KATS Administrator Lee made the remarks at a ceremony to mark the 2019 anniversary of World Standards Day at EL Tower in Seoul on Oct. 17.

KATS, under the umbrella of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), hosted the World Standards Day anniversary event.

The government presented awards to 29 individuals and eight organizations in recognition of their contribution to the strengthening of national competiveness thorough standardization in an era of the 4th Industrial Revolution.

World Standards Day was designated by the world’s three standardization bodies – International Standardization Organization (ISO), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) – to mark the significance of standards and prize standardization achievements.

Member countries held 2019 World Standards Day anniversary events under the theme “Video Standards Create a Global Stage.” Korea has held an anniversary ceremony since 2000.

Among the award winners were LSIS Managing Director Lee Jung-joon, who was honored with the coveted Order of Industrial Service, Bronze Tower. Lee was elected as Korea’s representative member of the Standardization Management Board (SMB) of the IEC, strengthening the nation’s standing.

He has been credited with his contributions such as smart grid standardization.

 KATS Administrator Lee poses with persons who won government orders and other award winner organization representatives in recognition of their contribution to the strengthening of national competiveness through standardization. (Photos: MOTIE)

The Service Merit Medal went to Prof. Kang Hyun-koo of Korea University for his leading roles in the global standardization of IoT network structure and protocol. Managing Director Kim Bong-suk of LG Electronics was presented with the Industrial Service Medal in recognition of his contribution to the development and building of mobile gadget function evaluation system.

The anniversary event also coincided with the IEC 1906 Awards ceremony. IEC 1906 Awards are presented to global standardization experts of each member country in celebration of the establishment of IEC in 1906. At the awards ceremony, 204 people from 25 countries won 2019 IEC 1906 Awards.

Thirteen Korean experts, including Prof. Lee Kwang-il of Korea Maritime and Ocean University, were presented with 2019 IEC 1906 Awards. Prof. Lee was honored for developing standards on ocean mobile communication and voyage equipment and systems.