"'Pyojun' Should Also Be Recognized as an R&D Performance Indicator Like Patents and Papers... 'Discussion on Legal Amendment'"

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The National Institute of Technology and Standards under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on the 7th that it will discuss a bill to amend the law on national standards that properly measure the research and development (R&D) achievements of the National Assembly and companies on the 8th.

The National Institute of Technology and Standards and Assemblyman No Woong-rae, chairman of the National Assembly Science, Technology, Information and Broadcasting and Communications Committee, will hold a public hearing on the theme of "Exploring National R&D-Standards Linkage Measures in the Era of the 4th Industrial Revolution" at 3 p.m. on the 8th in Seminar Room 1 of the National Assembly Members' Office Building in Yeouido, Seoul.

At the public hearing, discussions will be held regarding the partial amendment to the "Act on Performance Evaluation and Management of National Research and Development Projects," which Assemblyman No proposed as the main sponsor to set "standards" as a key performance indicator of national R&D.

Government officials such as Deputy Minister Jeong Seung-il of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, Kim Seong-su, Director of the Science and Technology Innovation Headquarters of the Ministry of Science and ICT, as well as Jeon Jin-soo, Executive Director of the Korea Standards Association, and Professor Song Yong-chan of Chung-Ang University will attend the public hearing.

The amendment proposed by Assemblyman No specifies standards as an outcome created by national research and development, encouraging the promotion of standard development throughout all cycles from R&D planning to commercialization stages. It also includes a legal basis to reflect standardization costs in project expenses and receive support, similar to patents.

This proposal reflects concerns raised by industry and academia that despite the rapid growth of new industries such as artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles, drones, and hydrogen in the era of the 4th Industrial Revolution, related standard development is not being carried out in a timely manner. Under current law, standards are not managed as key performance indicators of national R&D like patents or papers, causing practical difficulties.

Assemblyman No stated that the government is making efforts with goals such as registering 300 international standards and securing 60 chairpersons within international standardization organizations (ISO, IEC, ITU) in core technology fields related to the 4th Industrial Revolution by 2023 through the 300·60 project.

He said, "I hope the public hearing will become a rich forum urging the prompt processing of the amendment and serve as a solid stepping stone for the government's future 'standards project' success."

Deputy Minister Jeong said, "Promoting the amendment to set standards as a major scientific and technological performance indicator of R&D will be the most effective way for R&D results to lead to commercialization achievements after standardization," adding, "To proactively respond to the 4th Industrial Revolution, we must establish the technologies we develop based on R&D as global standards and create markets as first movers."

Photo by National Institute of Technology and Standards, Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy

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