A Case Study on the Establishment of a National Quality Infrastructure in Korea

Abstract

Standards are involved in the series of actions of individuals and groups such as governments and markets with different interests and purposes. Standards are created through social and scientific coordination and are used at the national and international level. This study examines the standard governance of Korea, which is structured and implemented around three important elements of national quality infrastructure: standardization, conformity assessment, and metrology, from the legal and organizational perspectives. Article 127 (2) of the Constitution of the Republic of Korea states “the State shall establish a system of national standards” and theFramework Act on National Standardsand theEnforcement Decreeenacted in 1999 for the establishment and implementation of national quality infrastructure. As three pillars of national quality infrastructure, standardization, conformity assessment, and metrology are interrelated and indispensable for each other to provide a consistent and reliable social as well as scientific and technical grounds for development and implementation of national standards. Drawing on the Korean case of national standards in respect to earthquake risk management, this study examines the problems of imbalance and disconnection of these quality management elements. In conclusion, future plans for national quality assurance are suggested from the perspective of a network governance.