Korea promotes IEC meeting in Busan

Korea officially invited delegations from around the world to the 82nd International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) general meeting to be held in Busan next year.

According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, its Korea Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) sent the official invitations for the 2018 meeting while attending the 81st IEC general meeting held in Vladivostok, Russia, this week.

Established in 1906, the IEC aims at getting rid of technological trade barriers, creating new markets and vitalizing economies through preparation and publication of international standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies. It also provides a platform to companies, industries and government for meeting, discussing and developing the international standards they require.

The commission has 170 member countries — 60 full members, 23 associate members and 87 affiliate countries.

The agency has been preparing for the event since launching a preparation committee in July. It set up a promotion booth at the meeting in Vladivostok, introducing next year’s meeting to be held in the country’s top port city. It is the second time for the country to host the meeting since 2004 when it was held in the capital city Seoul.

The meeting in Busan is scheduled to be held at BEXCO from Oct. 15 to Oct. 26 next year, jointly hosted by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and KATS. Around 3,000 international experts on technology standards, coming from 83 countries, are expected to gather in Busan. It will be the third largest meeting ever for the IEC, following one held in Frankfurt in 2016 and the other in Seattle in 2010.

On top of the general meeting, there will also be 92 meetings of technical committees and subcommittees. The IEC has 104 technical committees and 99 subcommittees under it to develop international standards.

The agency noted that the IEC is expected to play a big role in the emergence of new technologies related with the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

“With the IEC meeting scheduled in Busan, we will set up concrete aims such as becoming a leader in electric and electronic technology standards,” said Jung Dong-hee, an administrator at KATS.