The Korean government has unveiled its Sixth National Standards Master Plan, a five-year blueprint covering 2026–2030, jointly developed by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources (MOTIR) and 17 other ministries and agencies. With a total investment of approximately KRW 1.49 trillion (roughly USD 1.08 billion), the plan positions standardization as a core instrument of industrial competitiveness and technology diplomacy.

The plan is built around four strategic pillars:

1. Leading Standards in Future Industries and AI Korea has identified 18 priority sectors for international standardization, including artificial intelligence, quantum technology, semiconductors, next-generation communications, future mobility, robotics, clean energy, and aerospace. The plan calls for developing more than 1,900 international standards by 2030. A National AI Standardization Governance Framework and Strategic Roadmap will be established this year in accordance with Korea's AI Action Plan, with standardization covering AI data, models, safety and reliability, and infrastructure. AI convergence standards will be pursued across six industrial sectors: autonomous manufacturing, self-driving vehicles, autonomous ships, robots, drones, and home appliances.

2. Expanding Standards Infrastructure for Citizens Safety standards will be upgraded for battery-embedded products, new children's products, and smart home appliances, with AI-based product accident monitoring introduced. Standards will also be developed for timber construction, performance arts facilities, healthcare data transmission, and elderly-friendly food products. A new framework to combat shrinkflation — undisclosed reductions in product quantities — will be introduced through reform of the Quantity-Labeled Goods Management System.

3. Responding to Technical Regulations and Reforming Certification A new Trade Technical Barrier (TBT) Response Act will be enacted in 2026 to systematically support Korean exporters facing overseas regulatory barriers. The KS certification system will be restructured to allow factory-inspection-free assessment for small-batch advanced products, accelerating market entry for cutting-edge goods. Korea's accreditation body KOLAS will expand proficiency testing to raise the capability standards of certified institutions.

4. Building an Innovative Standards Ecosystem Korea will expand its leadership in international standardization bodies, targeting 337 chair and secretariat positions at ISO/IEC by 2030 and 172 at ITU. Bilateral standards cooperation forums with the US, Germany, the UK, China, and Japan will be strengthened, while new multilateral engagement is planned with ASEAN and G7 nations. The plan also calls for increased private-sector participation in standardization committees, with the industry share of technical committee membership rising from 35% to 45% by 2030.

Korea's performance under the Fifth Plan (2021–2025) surpassed targets in all five key indicators, including a 171% achievement rate in standards information access and 119.9% in internationally accredited certification bodies.

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MOTIR Press Release translated by AI, edited by David Kendall