The Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) is hosting the main competition of the 19th International Standards Olympiad on August 12 in Asan, Cheonan, with the participation of a total of 200 students and teachers from Korea and 10 other countries—China, Indonesia, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Peru, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Uzbekistan.


Launched in 2006, the 19th International Standards Olympiad is organized by the Korean Standards Association (KSA) and sponsored by organizations including the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). The global event has drawn a record number of participating countries this year, with the addition of Saudi Arabia and Uzbekistan. Forty teams that passed the preliminary rounds (20 middle school teams, 20 high school teams) are taking part in the main competition, with the number of teams from overseas (22) surpassing that of Korean teams (18) for the first time in competition history.


Kicking off with an opening ceremony, the 19th International Standards Olympiad will proceed through August 12-14. Teams will compete against each other in assignments on international standard documents and presentations, followed by an awards ceremony and a closing ceremony. Results for each team are to be judged by ISO and IEC representatives and other standards experts. Participating students will also engage in various fun programs like standards related games and quiz shows, as well as cultural exchanges showcasing each country’s traditional dance.