Standardization News

Hundreds of representatives from industry, laboratories, government agencies, and other organizations participated in standards-related events in Seoul from June 13-17. The events were organized by the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards and ASTM.

“The Korean Agency for Technology and Standards and ASTM International have had
close relations in the field of standardization cooperation over a decade,” said Mr. Daeshik
Jeh, KATS administrator. “I expect that the relationship between the two organizations will
be strengthened through the cooperative program, including meetings and training information exchange.”

The week’s events highlighted how technical standards – including those from ASTM – help improve quality of life in Korea while also driving commerce and trade. Some of the events included:

• On June 14, the Korea Apparel Testing and Research Institute and the Korea Testing and Research Institute participated in discussions on the benefits of standardization to businesses, the importance of standardization in areas such as textiles, and more.
• On June 15, KATS, the Korean Product Safety Association, testing laboratories, and manufacturers discussed consumer product safety, including risk assessment and regulation in areas such as children’s toys.
• On June 16, Korean associations, certification bodies, testing laboratories, and manufacturers received information on ASTM’s Proficiency Testing Program and other ASTM services that support laboratories in improving performance and competitiveness.

As KATS and ASTM celebrate the 10th anniversary of their memorandum of understanding (signed May 12, 2006), they met to review and plan for future collaboration in areas such as training. On June 17, training continued for approximately 100 laboratory staff at Korea Testing Certification, where former ASTM board member, Kaphong Choi, Ph.D., is president.

More than 180 Korean representatives from industry, academia, and other organizations participate on more than 75 ASTM International technical committees.

Learn more about ASTM International’s strong presence in Korea.

A meeting on June 13 between ASTM and KATS kicked off a weeklong series of information exchange meetings on standardization issues with various Korean entities. Shown at KATS (from left): YoungKook Kim, assistant director, KATS International Standards Division; Ji-Yeong Wang, international cooperation coordinator, KATS International Standards Division; Chang-Ae Cho, sssistant director, KATS Standards Policy Division; Jai-hun Park, director, KATS International Standards Division; Daeshik Jeh, KATS administrator; Teresa Cendrowska, ASTM vice president of global cooperation; Kristy Straiton, ASTM staff manager; Byung-goo Kang, director general of KATS Bureau of Standards Policy; and Jongyoon Jun, assistant director, KATS WTO TBT Division.

At KATS (from left): Young Shik Kang, assistant director, KATS International Standards Division; Jai-hun Park, director, KATS International Standards Division; Daeshik Jeh, KATS administrator; Teresa Cendrowska, ASTM vice president, global cooperation; and Kristy Straiton, staff manager, ASTM Technical Committee Operations.