Robotics Firms Without Factories Now Eligible for 'KS Mark'... Major Overhaul of Certification System in 60 Years

'Industrial Standardization Act Amendment' Passed at Cabinet Meeting on September 8... To Take Effect Next March

Design and Development Firms in Advanced Industries Now Eligible for KS Certification

Government Gains Investigative Authority Over Illegal Acts Such as Certification Misuse and Forgery

Moving forward, even robotics companies without production plants but with outstanding design capabilities will be eligible for the 'KS Mark.' The government expanded the scope of entities eligible for KS certification to include design and development firms in advanced industries by revising the relevant law. This marks a major change—the first in more than 60 years—since the KS certification system was introduced in 1961.

The National Institute of Technology and Standards under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on September 8 that the proposed amendments to the Industrial Standardization Act were approved at a cabinet meeting. After a six-month transition period following promulgation, the amended law will take effect in March next year.

On the 10th at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, a robot is dancing to music at the "2026 Smart Tech Korea_Digital Distribution Logistics Expo Robotech Show." This is a reference photo to help understand the article. June 10, 2026 Photo by Kang Jinhyung

First, the certification threshold for products in advanced industries will be lowered. An official from the National Institute explained, "Until now, companies in the robotics sector and similar fields have been producing products via the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) model, but under the existing system, which targeted companies with factories, they were unable to obtain certification. With this legal revision, design and development companies in advanced industries will also be eligible for KS certification, and the types of certification reviews will be diversified accordingly."

In addition to supporting test and inspection equipment usage for small and medium enterprises and small business owners, the government will also subsidize the costs required to obtain KS certification. Outstanding companies will receive incentives such as awards and exemptions from regular audits.

Post-certification management will be strengthened. Previously, only certified KS companies could be subject to government investigations, which made it difficult to uncover illegal acts such as misuse or forgery of KS certification marks. With the new law, the government gains investigation authority, and if necessary, administrative agencies can conduct on-the-spot inspections of products in circulation to respond promptly to market situations. Notably, for certified products with a high risk of harm, compliance with recall orders will also be monitored to enhance the effectiveness of post-certification management.

Daeja Kim, President of the National Institute of Standards and Science

Kim Daeja, President of the National Institute of Technology and Standards, stated, "Over the last 60 years, KS certification has been Korea’s premier certification system, not only enhancing the competitiveness of domestic industry but also contributing to improved quality. We will thoroughly prepare follow-up measures to ensure the revised system supports the renewed growth of our industries, particularly in advanced sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI)."

At the cabinet meeting on the same day, amendments to the Weights and Measures Act were also approved. The amendment defines all operations involved in determining quantitative values in manufacturing, process, testing, and quality control in industrial settings as 'industrial measurement.' In order to promote industrial measurement, the government will now have a legal basis for developing and disseminating calibration standards, supporting the construction of measurement management systems for companies, distributing measurement technologies and providing education, improving the reliability of measurements in industrial fields, and designating specialized Industrial Measurement Support Centers to conduct measurement R&D and support for companies by industry. The National Institute expects these changes to enhance measurement reliability in advanced industries that require ultra-precise measurement, such as semiconductors, secondary batteries, aviation, and defense. It will also enable systematic support for measurement technologies and infrastructure that are difficult for small and mid-sized companies to secure on their own.

A citizen choosing milk at a large supermarket. Photo by The Asia Business Daily

The amendments also introduce an average quantity standard for pre-packaged goods, such as milk or snacks, sold with labeled volume or mass on their packaging. In addition to the existing per-item legal tolerance for errors, the average measured amount must now be equal to or greater than the marked quantity. Grounds for the public disclosure of violations of regulations regarding quantitatively labeled products have also been established.

In cases where, due to technical characteristics or installation and use environments, it is difficult to uniformly apply the typical "type approval - inspection - re-inspection" procedures to legal measuring devices such as non-automatic scales over 10 tons and sight-glass tanks, some procedures may be exempted or re-inspections may be replaced with calibration, thereby improving flexibility in the management system for such devices.

For measuring instruments used only in household or educational contexts, which are excluded from the category of legal measuring devices, it has been made explicit that they are not for commercial or certification purposes to ensure that users and consumers can clearly distinguish whether or not an instrument is a legal measuring device. The periodic inspection of scales for commercial use, previously carried out directly by local governments every two years, can now be outsourced to professional private organizations, and the legal basis to provide training for local government inspectors has been established in order to enhance the professionalism of measurement policies.

President Kim said, "This legal amendment is significant in that it expands the weights and measures system—traditionally focused on commercial transactions—to also support the reliability of quality in advanced industries. It reflects comprehensive revisions suited to the changed industrial and consumer environment. The government will work to strengthen the infrastructure for industrial measurement that boosts the competitiveness of advanced industries and enhance the reliability of measurement perceived by the public in daily life through concerted policy efforts."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.