Standardization News

ASTM was joined by standards professionals from Kenya and Korea in recent months. Winnie Tonui, Kenya Bureau of Standards, was sent to ASTM by KEBS as an attachment for a three-week period beginning on Jan. 18, while Eun Sook Kwon, of the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards, arrived Feb. 22 for an 11-month stay.

Winnie Tonui is a standards officer in the standards development and international trade department of KEBS. She works specifically with the KEBS textile committee and has an industrial/textile engineering background. During her stay at ASTM, Tonui learned about the procedural and technical aspects of standards pertaining to textiles, specifically woven and non-woven fabrics as well as medical and military textiles. She attended meetings of Committees D13 on Textiles and F23 on Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment in San Antonio, Texas. In addition to in-house training and attending the committee meetings, Tonui visited sites locally and in the Raleigh, North Carolina, area to understand how standards from ASTM and other developers are applied. She also visited the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and the U.S. Department of Commerce in Washington, D.C.

Eun Sook Kwon has a degree in textile engineering and currently serves as the assistant director in the international standards division of KATS. She has a background in technical regulations for consumer products, including both textiles and children's products. Kwon's attachment comes on the heels of the successful attachments of KATS colleagues Ms. Chang-ae Cho and Mr. Jong Yoon Jun, who both spent considerable time with ASTM in 2013 and 2014/2015, respectively. During her time at ASTM, Kwon will identify further opportunities to strengthen and add value to the activities and relationships that began in 2006 when ASTM International first signed its MOU with KATS.

Winnie Tonui

Eun Sook Kwon