2024 U.S.-Korea Standards Forum in Washington, D.C. Highlights Cooperation on CETs

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) co-hosted the hybrid 2024 U.S.-Korea Standards Forum on Friday, June 28, at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The annual forum is a valuable platform for leaders and subject-matter experts across industries, government, and academia from both countries to enhance mutual understanding, exchange expertise and best practices, and develop future cooperation. 

This year’s event was attended by more than 80 in-person representatives from the U.S. and Korea, with more than 100 additional participants joining online.

The forum opened with remarks from Joe Bhatia, ANSI president and CEO; Chongwook CHIN, KATS administrator; and Jin Roy RYU, chairman of the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI). Keynote remarks from Thomas Gardner, CTO of HP Federal and member of ANSI’s board of directors, highlighted the importance of standardization and harmonization in the world of high-tech industry and critical and emerging technology (CET) sectors. Dr. Joon-sung KOH, division chair of the High-Tech Industry Leadership Forum and senior research fellow at the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade, introduced the Korean government’s National Standardization Strategy for High-Tech Industries and potential cooperation opportunities with U.S. stakeholders.

Representatives from the U.S. and Korean public and private sectors participated in technical breakout sessions to discuss standards across a range of industries, identifying challenges and areas of potential collaboration in emerging technologies. Sessions covered the following strategic areas: 

• Neuromorphic computing and bio-semiconductors; standards and market preference for microelectronics assurance and traceability; and trust and sustainability in the global chip supply chain
• Artificial intelligence governance mechanisms in corporations; the work of ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 42 and the global AI ecosystem; trustworthy AI; Korean national standards and standardization committee of AI; and the Korean Strategy for AI Conformity Assessment
• Green energy and carbon neutrality through the lenses of marine power, solar energy, whole life carbon measurement and verification in green buildings; sustainable aviation fuel; and the Korean Carbon Neutrality Standardization Strategy
• Post-quantum cryptography (PQC); single-photon emission purity; quantum sensors; quantum measurement errors; quantum secure communications; and discussions on ISO/IEC JTC 3
• Unmanned aircraft systems and its deployment; positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services; EV/ICV/intelligent transportation systems; industrial mobile robotics and safety; and digitalized e-mobility in smart city and other scenarios
• NIST’s personal digital identity programs and the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence; and interoperability issues and use cases for mobile ID systems in Korea

In a special session on standards education, experts from ASTM International, ANSI, NIST, KATS, and the Korean Standards Association (KSA) addressed the importance of cultivating next-generation talents for standardization while introducing relevant programs, initiatives, and funding opportunities in their respective organizations for young professional training and curricular design for students.

Participants can find a more detailed agenda and bios of the speakers on the event website, and photos in the gallery.

For information on participating in future related events, please contact Laiyin Yuan, ANSI program manager, at [email protected].