ROK Standards System: Introduction
The standardization process in Korea follows the basic principles for standards development outlined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and the World Trade Organization (WTO) Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement (TBT). The Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) oversees the development of Korean Standards (KS), coordinating input from various public and private sector stakeholders through its technical committees. Today there are over 20,000 KS. In addition to KS, many other types of standards are used in Korea, including those developed by ISO, IEC and other international standards developers; regional standards; foreign national standards; and others.
KATS standards experts represent nearly 5,000 Korean businesses, professional societies and trade associations, standards developers, government agencies, institutes and consumer and labor interests, from nearly every industry sector.
The diagram below depicts how KS impact the Korean market.
In Korea, the standardization system is becoming more market-driven and bottom-up, allowing standards users to
drive standardization activities. KATS has begun designating Co-operating Organizations for Standards Development (COSDs), which participate in the development of national standards and strengthen the capability of the private sector to expand their role in the standards development process.
Key Organizations
