Fire Agency Transfers New Technology and Product Selection Project to 'Fire Research Institute'

Complete Revision of Firefighting New Technology and New Product Review Operation Regulations

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The National Fire Agency announced on the 16th that from this year, the selection project for new firefighting technologies and products will be transferred from the Fire Industry Division to the National Fire Research Institute for operation. This is a measure in accordance with the revised regulations on the review and operation of new firefighting technologies and products, amended on the 25th of last month.

The review of new firefighting technologies and products began in 2010 and was held a total of 27 times until last year. A total of 39 items, including evacuation guidance audio-visual blocking devices and flexible piping for sprinklers, were recognized as new firefighting technologies. Among these, 31 items have entered the institutional system through the enactment and revision of administrative rules.

By expanding the scope of review to include firefighting equipment such as fire suppression devices in addition to existing firefighting supplies and products, it is expected that more excellent firefighting equipment can be discovered through the activation of equipment development. Furthermore, the review committee will be composed of executives and employees of the Korea Fire Industry Association as ex officio review members, and the participation rate of external experts will be increased to strengthen expertise.

For items adopted in the review, a new 30-day prior notice and opinion collection process will be established before issuing a certificate to prevent adoption through false or other fraudulent methods. In addition, for products that require re-review or were not selected but have excellent ideas, support will be provided for entry into the institutional system by supplementing deficiencies through expert consulting and joint research with the institute.

The National Fire Agency plans to enhance technological competitiveness to the level of advanced countries and increase exports through the development of new technologies in Korea’s firefighting industry. It is also promoting policies such as raising certification standards for firefighting supplies and providing financial support to excellent companies to strengthen technology development.

Lee Chang-seop, Director of the National Fire Research Institute, stated, "We expect to discover more excellent firefighting technologies through a professional and systematic review process," adding, "This will not only expand and provide market entry opportunities for firefighting companies but also serve as an opportunity to enhance the competitiveness of Korea’s firefighting industry."

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