South Korea will spend 42.5 billion won ($29.5 million) this year to develop international standards for cutting-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), the industry ministry said Wednesday, a move partly aimed at ensuring the country's future global leadership in related sectors.
The investment marks a 22 percent increase from the corresponding figure for 2024, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
The Korea Agency for Technology and Standards, a standards agency under the ministry, will spend most of the budget on developing technology standards in 12 advanced industries that include semiconductors, future mobility, robotics, quantum energy and nuclear power.
Last year, South Korea announced an initiative to actively develop international standards for AI and other technologies and have them adopted by the International Organization for Standardization and the International Electrotechnical Commission to lead future industries.
"We will work to create an environment where outstanding researchers may continue to participate in standardization research and development projects and help South Korean companies enter new global markets through the development of international standards in high-tech industries," Oh Kwang-hae, head of standards policy at KATS, said. (Yonhap)
