Co-hosted by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS), the sixth annual U.S.–Korea Standards Forum was held in conjunction with the 2026 ANSI Innovation Summit on July 31, 2026, in Denver, Colorado. More than 70 leaders from government, industry, academia, and the standards community in the United States and the Republic of Korea convened in person, with additional attendees joining online. Through high-level remarks, expert presentations, and interactive panel discussions, the Forum once again strengthened the longstanding partnership between the U.S. and Korea by providing a platform for exchanging perspectives on standards and conformity assessment priorities in critical and emerging technologies.
See the full agenda and speaker list here, and download the event photos in the gallery.
Remarks and Keynotes
The Forum opened with welcome remarks from Laurie E. Locascio, Ph.D., NAE, president and CEO of ANSI; Daeja Kim, administrator of KATS; and Dongmin Moon, chairman and CEO of the Korean Standards Association (KSA). Together, they underscored the importance of continued U.S.–Korea cooperation in international standardization to support technological innovation, economic growth, and global competitiveness.
The keynote session featured Peter L. Pondillo, senior manager of standards and policy at Corning Incorporated and chair of the ANSI Company Member Forum (CMF), alongside Young-Im Cho, Ph.D., professor at Gachon University and head of the Korean delegation to ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 42, Artificial Intelligence. Their presentations explored strategic priorities for standards development, the evolving international standards landscape, and opportunities to strengthen U.S.–Korea collaboration in advancing globally relevant standards for emerging technologies.
Throughout the day, U.S. and Korean experts discussed standards-related developments across four expert panels on artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, future mobility, and biotechnology.
Standards for Artificial Intelligence
Moderated by Ajit Jillavenkatesa, vice chair of the ANSI board of directors, panelists discussed governance frameworks for responsible and trustworthy AI, AI quality evaluation and risk management, and the importance of cross-sector collaboration in developing standards that foster innovation while promoting transparency, safety, and public trust. Speakers also highlighted ongoing work within ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 42 and emphasized the value of continued cooperation between U.S. and Korean experts to support globally interoperable AI technologies.
Standards for Future Mobility
The afternoon program began with a discussion on standards for future mobility, focusing on unmanned aircraft systems, connected and automated vehicles, and the interoperability needed to enable next-generation mobility ecosystems. The session was moderated by Sibok Yu, executive principal researcher at the Korea Automotive Technology Institute (KATECH). Discussions highlighted cross-border interoperability, V2X communications, data trust frameworks with context-based data validation, software-defined vehicles, and collaboration between standards bodies in both countries to support the safe adoption of future mobility technologies.
Standards for Quantum Technologies
Moderated by Haeseong Lee, Ph.D., chair of ISO/IEC JTC 3, Quantum Technologies, panelists discussed the foundational role of standards in supporting the commercialization of quantum technologies, including measurement infrastructure, supply chain development, interoperability, and international coordination. The panel introduced the current work of ISO/IEC JTC 3 and its working groups, the standardization landscape for quantum sensors, communication, and computing, and the need for conformity assessment in parallel with standards development. Cross-sector lessons from the development of 5G and semiconductors were cited as successful precedents that could help accelerate the global scaling of quantum technologies.
Standards for Biotechnology
The final technical session focused on biotechnology, examining standards that support emerging areas including biopharmaceutical manufacturing, cell and gene therapies, bioinks and bioprinting, and the measurement science necessary to enable safe and interoperable bioscience. The panel was moderated by Brian Montgomery, physical scientist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST); NIST is the U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) Administrator for ISO TC 276, Biotechnology. The discussion explored how standards and measurement science underpin innovation across the biotechnology ecosystem while supporting regulatory confidence. Panelists also highlighted the growing convergence of biotechnology and AI, and the importance of high-quality biological data and reference materials.
Now in its sixth year, the U.S.–Korea Standards Forum has become an important venue for strengthening technical collaboration between the U.S. and Korea while promoting international standards that support innovation, economic growth, and global competitiveness. ANSI extends its sincere thanks to all speakers for their thoughtful contributions and active engagement in this strategic event.
