Seoul, June 26, 2025
Korea is moving fast. Already a global leader in electronics, it now has bold ambitions to lead the next era of AI-powered product innovation. Across sectors like mobility, semiconductors, consumer electronics, and healthcare, Korean companies are embedding artificial intelligence at scale, creating transformative opportunities for economic growth and societal progress.
But with this rapid AI adoption comes a crucial question: how do we balance innovation with responsibility? In a world where AI systems make critical decisions, trust has become the key differentiator. Korea’s industry leaders and regulators are looking for frameworks that allow them to move fast—without compromising on safety, transparency, and compliance.
That’s why Nemko Digital and the Korea Standards Association (KSA) have joined forces. Their newly signed strategic partnership brings together global expertise and local ambition to shape the future of AI certification and trust in Korea and beyond.
Formalized at a signing ceremony in Seoul, the agreement brings Nemko’s decades of global certification leadership together with KSA’s influence in shaping Korean industry standards. Leaders from both organizations—including KSA Chairman Mr. Dong-min Moon and Nemko Group CEO Mr. Per Ove Øyberg—attended the ceremony, underscoring the importance of this alliance.
The partnership builds on an earlier Memorandum of Understanding signed in November 2024, which outlined several pillars of cooperation: a joint response to fast-evolving global AI regulations, co-development of testing and certification methodologies, and joint exploration of AI-powered business models that put trust and safety first.
Momentum is already visible. In March 2025, the partners held a joint seminar introducing the vision and value of the AI Trust Mark to a large group of Korean business leaders in Seoul during the co-organized AI & Cyber Summit. This confirmed what the market has been waiting for: a practical, independent certification that gives companies—and consumers—confidence in AI solutions. That’s why we are now moving into the next step of our partnership.
Korea is not just following the global AI wave; it is setting the pace. The country’s technology sector has a long history of combining cutting-edge innovation with bold industrial policy—and it is now applying this playbook to artificial intelligence.
But as AI increasingly powers critical products and services, the risks around governance, compliance, and safety cannot be ignored. Korean companies recognize that trust is becoming a key market differentiator—and they are acting fast to secure it.
That’s why Nemko has been invited by some of Korea’s leading electronics manufacturers to share its expertise on navigating this evolving AI landscape. From regulatory frameworks like the EU AI Act to emerging Asia-Pacific standards, we are helping companies understand how to deploy AI responsibly, build trustworthy products, and unlock competitive advantage on the global stage.
For Korean companies competing globally, the AI Trust Mark offers far more than technical compliance. It becomes a powerful business asset. Certification helps companies stand out in crowded markets, giving customers, partners, and regulators confidence that their AI systems are designed with safety, fairness, and transparency at their core.
As compliance requirements around AI grow more complex, having a recognized certification enables faster, smoother market entry across regions. It lowers legal and reputational risks and allows companies to scale their AI-powered products internationally with confidence.
More importantly, it supports a broader vision: building a digital economy where innovation and responsibility go hand in hand, creating long-term value for businesses and society.
Building on this agreement, Nemko and KSA will take concrete steps to bring the AI Trust Mark certification scheme to market. Together, they will develop industry-ready certification programs, offer practical advisory and testing services, and organize hands-on seminars for both companies and regulators to accelerate learning.
Certification of the leading Korean manufacturers can now truly take off. From the Korean base, there is a shared ambition to scale the AI Trust Mark to medium-sized companies in Korea and later explore opportunities in global markets for Nemko’s AI Trust Mark.
"This agreement marks a critical step in establishing global standards for responsible AI," said Nemko Korea GM Mr. Steve Yang. "Together with KSA, we will help businesses build trust in their AI technologies, unlocking growth and protecting users in Korea and worldwide."
In the end, this partnership is about more than compliance—it is about shaping the future of responsible innovation. AI holds the potential to transform industries and improve lives, but only if it is built and deployed with care.
Through the AI Trust Mark, Nemko and KSA are laying the foundation for a trusted AI ecosystem that enables Korea’s industries to thrive globally, not just through speed and scale, but through trust, safety, and responsibility.
Korea’s AI ambitions are bold—and together, we are helping ensure they are trusted.
Nemko Digital is a global leader in testing, inspection, and certification services, specializing in digital technologies and AI governance. As part of the Nemko Group, it provides assurance services enabling safe, compliant technology deployment with confidence. With expertise in AI governance, cybersecurity, digital trust, and regulatory compliance, Nemko Digital serves clients across various sectors worldwide, guiding them through the kc certification process and ensuring compliance with kc certification standards.