KATS to Invest 13 Billion KRW in New Projects Linking Technology and Market through Standardization for Digital New Deal

9.4 Billion KRW for Standardization of Non-Face-to-Face and 4th Industrial Revolution Core Technologies
900 Million KRW for SoBuJang, 500 Million KRW for Carbon Neutrality, etc.

[Sejong=Asia Economy Reporter Joo Sang-don] To support the growth of the non-face-to-face industry and the Digital New Deal project, the National Institute of Technology and Standards (NITS) has decided to newly invest 13 billion KRW in the development of international standards, a tool that connects technological development achievements with the market.

NITS announced on the 8th the new research and development (R&D) tasks for the 2021 'National Standard Technology Capability Enhancement Project (Standard Capability Project)'.

This year, the Standard Capability Project will focus on ▲intensive support for international standard development of non-face-to-face services and core technologies of the 4th industrial revolution ▲continued support for international standard development of the K-Quarantine model ▲strengthening cross-ministerial international standardization activities including the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the Ministry of Environment.

The Standard Capability Project is a representative standard R&D project planned to support the establishment of a standardization foundation, including standard research and development for registering international standards with international standardization organizations (ISO/IEC) and de facto standardization organizations (such as IEEE), standard workforce training, and certification method research.

Last year, NITS invested a total of 33.5 billion KRW (including an additional supplementary budget of 3 billion KRW) in core 4th industrial revolution technologies such as BIG3 (future cars, bio, system semiconductors) and materials, parts, and equipment, according to the 'International Standardization Preemption Strategy for the 4th Industrial Revolution Era' established in June 2019. Through this, 39 new international standard proposals (NP) were adopted.

In addition, in response to the spread of COVID-19, NITS also started developing international standards for the K-Quarantine model to enhance global trust in Korea's diagnostic technology.

This year, 37.4 billion KRW, a 12% increase from the previous year, will be invested, with 13 billion KRW allocated to new projects.

94 billion KRW (54 projects) will be intensively supported for international standard development and the establishment of a standardization activity foundation for non-face-to-face services such as non-face-to-face medical care, distribution, and work, which are core fields of the Digital New Deal, and core technologies of the 4th industrial revolution. For SoBuJang and carbon neutrality international standard development, 900 million KRW (7 projects) and 500 million KRW (4 projects) will be supported respectively.

In addition, to efficiently operate the cross-ministerial national standard system, support for international standard activities, which was limited to two ministries (Ministry of Environment and Ministry of Science and ICT) under consignment management last year, will be expanded to include areas under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the Korea Meteorological Administration, providing 1.7 billion KRW (5 projects). In particular, to strengthen domestic and international standard cooperation on socially significant issues such as K-Quarantine (medical, bio, health) and carbon neutrality, 700 million KRW this year and a total of 3.7 billion KRW over four years will be supported in areas under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety and the Ministry of Environment respectively.

Lee Seung-woo, Director of NITS, said, "Through the promotion of international standard development in this year's Standard Capability Project, we expect to create an opportunity to promote digital innovation across the economy, achieve carbon neutrality, and revitalize the market economy." He added, "Also, by reflecting on the successful case of inter-ministerial standardization cooperation such as the international standardization of the K-Quarantine model, we will continue to expand support for cross-ministerial standardization activities."

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