Ministry of Science and ICT Detects 1,700 Cases of Equipment Test Report Forgery Involving Huawei, Samsung, and Others

[Asia Economy Reporter Joselgina] A large number of domestic and foreign companies, including Hangzhou Hikvision Technology from China, Huawei, and Samsung Electronics, have been found to have fraudulently obtained conformity assessment for broadcasting and communication equipment using forged test reports.

The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on the 10th that it confirmed 381 domestic and foreign manufacturers and importers forged test reports for conformity assessment on 1,700 pieces of equipment. Conformity assessment (Article 58-2 of the Radio Waves Act) is a system where manufacturers, sellers, and importers of broadcasting and communication equipment verify and certify or register whether their equipment meets technical standards before distributing it to the market.

The Ministry of Science and ICT received a tip on May 15 from related companies that some test reports issued by BACL, a global testing organization headquartered in the United States, were actually tested and issued in China. The entire list of test reports issued by BACL in the U.S. since 2006 for domestic conformity assessment became the subject of investigation.

The investigation confirmed that 1,700 test reports used for conformity assessment by 381 companies were not issued by BACL in the United States. By number of cases detected, Hangzhou Hikvision Technology, a Chinese surveillance camera manufacturer, topped the list with 224 cases (CCTV cameras and peripherals). Next were Chinese companies such as SZ DJI Technology, a drone manufacturer, with 145 cases (drones and peripherals), and Huawei (network equipment) with 136 cases. Samsung Electronics was also caught with 23 cases (wireless speakers, etc.).

Issuing test reports requires specialized personnel, facilities, and advanced technical review capabilities, and is strictly regulated by law. Under the Mutual Recognition Agreement (MRA) with the U.S., the Ministry of Science and ICT granted testing authority to the U.S.-based BACL testing laboratory through a designation process by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). However, the BACL testing laboratory located in China, which did not go through the designation process, has no testing authority. Nonetheless, invalid test reports were issued through unauthorized laboratories, resulting in a large-scale violation of the Radio Waves Act.

According to the current Radio Waves Act, if conformity assessment is obtained through forgery or fraudulent methods such as falsifying test reports, administrative actions such as cancellation of conformity assessment and equipment recall will be taken. Once conformity assessment is canceled, the equipment cannot undergo conformity assessment again for one year from the cancellation date. Until reassessment is completed, manufacturing, importing, and selling of the equipment are also prohibited.

The Radio Research Agency began prior notification for hearings from today to carry out administrative actions. Hearings for the 381 companies will be conducted sequentially starting next month. Additionally, to prevent recurrence, the Ministry plans to strengthen verification procedures for the authenticity of test reports in cooperation with countries that have signed mutual recognition agreements. They also plan to establish criminal penalties for forgery acts.

The Ministry of Science and ICT stated, "Conformity assessment under the Radio Waves Act is a system that evaluates whether products meet technical standards and human protection standards through testing so that the public can safely use broadcasting and communication equipment. Forging test reports is a serious issue that undermines trust in broadcasting and communication equipment overall."

They added, "Since many domestic and foreign companies are involved and the detected equipment includes various products closely related to daily life such as CCTV, Bluetooth, audio devices, drones, communication equipment, and PC peripherals, we will strictly take measures according to relevant laws to maintain a safe radio environment."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.