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Opening the Paths to Aviation Security Equipment Production through Domestic Certification
- Prompt follow-up services [A/S], quick response to environmental changes, and fostering of related domestic industries expected
□ MOLIT (Minister Kim Hyun-mee) announced that it would begin offering aviation security equipment performance certification systems in order to promote domestic production of aviation security equipment, which had to depend on imports, and for prompt follow-up services of equipment users.
ㅇ As performance for detecting explosives, weapons, etc. are crucial to prevent terrorism, performance verification is essential for aviation security equipment, and certification systems are offered in just a few countries such as the US, Europe and China, and aviation security equipment are being produced accordingly.
ㅇ Korea did not have aviation security equipment performance certification systems and therefore had to rely on importing foreign equipment. As a result, the performance levels of equipment had to depend on foreign companies, and it also had various issues such as requiring a lot of time and money for follow-up management such as maintenance and repairs.
ㅇ Furthermore, even if a Korean company had the capacity to produce equipment, the lack of a certification system required foreign certification, but because of the special features of aviation security equipment certification such as non-disclosure of performance standards materials, it was difficult to receive foreign certification, and therefore, there were many restrictions in activating the aviation security equipment industry.
□ Accordingly, MOLIT has been making preparations such as R&D projects in relevant fields since 2013 and operating an expert group of competent authorities for implementing the certification system, as it planned to develop the Korean aviation security equipment industry.
ㅇ In October 2017, the ‘Aviation Security Act’ was reformed (executed in Oct ‘18) to provide the platform and by enacting and revising the sub-regulations of the ’Aviation Security Equipment Performance Certification and Performance Inspection Standards’, and designating the certification institute (Korea Institute of Aviation Safety Technology) and the testing institute (Korea Testing Laboratory), the system will be enacted in earnest.
□ In order for security equipment to be used in the domestic aviation industry, acquisition of certification from national institutes is essential, and foreign manufacturers can apply for certification through a Korean representative.
ㅇ Application for certification can be submitted all-year-round by visiting the Korea Institute of Aviation Safety Technology with the documents as required by the relevant laws such as the application form.
ㅇ In addition, a seminar on the certification system is scheduled to be held on May 23 by the certification and testing institutes for manufacturers. Information will be provided also to institutes in charge of major domestic infrastructure such as ports and railways that operate security equipment in order to upgrade national security levels.
□ It is expected that this aviation security equipment performance certification system will promote the production and distribution of aviation security equipment according to domestic aviation security conditions, while also improving efficiency and reliability for equipment performance level management.
ㅇ Also, efforts will continuously be made to link with the MOLIT R&D projects to promote relevant industries in Korea such as advancing certification levels, constructing a certification testing center, pursuing domestic and European certifications for domestically developed equipment, and propelling mutual certification with the US and Europe in the future.
□ MOLIT Director General for Aviation Policy Eo Myeong-so said, “Technological approaches (search, etc.) are being given great importance internationally in order to prepare for the growing aviation security threats.” He added, “The aviation security equipment performance certification system that is being implemented for the first time in Korea is significant in that it will upgrade Korea’s aviation security levels, and it is expected to be a primer to promote domestic aviation security equipment companies, which had many restrictions in the past, to enter domestic and foreign markets.”
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