Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy

Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS), under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) of the Republic of Korea, collaborated with the German Institute for Standardization (DIN) and the German Commission for Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies (DKE) to hold the Korea-Germany Standards Cooperation Forum (“Forum”) today in Seoul. The event brought together approximately 100 standards experts from both countries, marking a significant step in bilateral collaboration.

The Forum began with the introduction of the two nations’ national standards strategies: Korean Government National Standardization Strategy for the High-tech Industry and Germany’s SMART Standards for the Future. This was followed by discussions on technical issues related to Sustainability and Digital Transformation, with active participation from standards experts on both sides. The program included panel discussions in seven technology areas—artificial intelligence (AI), smart manufacturing, battery technologies, hydrogen, climate change/carbon neutrality, smart standards and direct current power sources—to share technical standards trends, exchange policy directions, and explore opportunities for joint international standards projects.

KATS also announced plans to strengthen bilateral standards activities with DIN and DKE in clean energy sectors, building on the agreement reached during the bilateral summit in July to enhance Korea-Germany collaboration in addressing the climate crisis and other global challenges. As part of this initiative, the two countries agreed to establish a working group of standards experts to achieve tangible outcomes, such as joint research and the development of international standard proposals in areas including hydrogen, battery technologies, and other clean energy fields.