Conformity Assessment Activities
in Korea
2011. 7. 4.
CHOI, Woo Huk
Ⅰ. Introduction
Ⅱ. Conformity assessment system in Korea
Ⅲ. Implications
Korea Communications Commission
I. Introduction
1
Objectives
2
Operation system of CA
3
Types of CA
1 Objectives
Concept of CA
Definitio
n
Demonstration that specified requirements relating to product,
process, system, person or body are fulfilled (ISO/IEC 17000)
Objectiv
es
1) To maintain the quality of service levels and end-to-end
network performance of communications networks
2) To protect the safety of end-users of communications
equipment from possible dangers
3) To guarantee interoperability between different
manufactures equipment.
Target Equipment of CA
Radio equipment
Wired equipment
(mobile phone, WLAN , etc) (telephone, FAX machine, etc)
4
Information equipment
(computer, printer, monitor, etc)
2 Operation system of CA(1)
CA Scheme
Definition
Regulatory Authority
Designation
Legal authorization by Designatin
g authority of a CAB to perform C
A activities
Accreditation
Assessing a prospective CAB
using procedures outlined in ISO
Guides 17025 or 65, which
determines its competence to
approve
products
to
the
applicable technical regulations
Designating Authority
Designation
Certificati
on
Approving a product within its
scope of accreditation for a client
(supplier) in accordance with the
technical requirements
Testing
Testing a product within its scope
of accreditation for a supplier in
accordance with a published test
procedure and the technical
requirements
CA*
mandate
mandate
Request for
designation
Accreditation
Body
Accreditation
Ask for
evaluation
Conformity Assessment Body
Certification Body
•CA : Conformity Assessment
•CAB : Conformity Assessment Body
5
Testing LAB
2 Operation system of CA(2)
Some economies scheme
Different economies have different schemes for performing the above
mentioned functions
Type A
(USA.Korea]
RA
Type B
(Japan, AUS.)
Type C
(other A]
Type D
(other B)
RA
RA
RA
DA
DA
DA
DA
AB
AB
AB
AB
CAB
CAB
CAB
CAB
EU
R A – Regulatory Authority
D A – Designating Authority
A B – Accreditation Body
CAB – Conformity Assessment Body
representing the scope
that one agency performs
concerned work
6
3 Types of CA system
Classification
• Three types of CA system, in accordance with parties concerned with CA and
applied criteria
• Characteristics of each type
1st-party CA
2nd-party CA
3rd-party CA
Types of
system
Supplier’s declaration of
conformity (SDoC)
Procurement inspection
Certification
Object of
assessment
Suppliers
Contractor
Regulatory Authority,
Accreditation Body
Market
surveillance
Regulatory Authority
Contractor
Regulatory Authority
Responsibili
ty
Suppliers
Contractor
Certification Body
Characterist
ics
- cost-saving, shortening
period,
protection of trade secret
- vulnerablest to user protection
- usually used in delivery fields
- Equipment user protection
- more time and cost needed
• Korea introduced 1 -party CA system(Registration) and 3rd-party CA system(Certification)
in 2011 and has implemented so far.
7
Korea Communications Commission
II. CA activities in Korea
1
Overview
2
CA Types and procedure
3
Post-market surveillance
4
Current status of MRA
1
Overview (1)
Change in regulatory environment
PAST
Strict “ex-ante regulation”
(prevention of radio interference, uniform government certification, etc)
PRESENT
New regulatory system led by the trend, like convergence,
performance improvement of communications equipment
CHANGE the 3rd party conformity assessment(Government)-led
mandatory certification system to
Supplier-led simplified conformity assessment system
Introducing “Registration of conformity”& “Interim certification of comformity”(‘11. 1.)
Level of harmfulness
Single System
Level of harm
2+1 System
Certification
Certification
Registration
9
+
Interim
Certification
2 CA Types and procedure (1)
Types
Certification of Conformity (CoC)
(3rd Party certification)
1)
2)
3)
4)
: Equipments causing radio interference or harmful
effects on networks or end-user safety
Ex) cell phone, Wi-Fi devices, PSTN terminals
Registration of Conformity with or without
Designated Test lab report
(Supplier`s Declaration of Conformity: SDoC)
: Equipments except for CoC equipment
Ex) PC and peripheral, most low powered ISM
devices
Interim Certification of Conformity(IOC)
New equipments not yet having technical requirement
with no harm to spectrum environment
10
Application by supplies
Testing by designated test lab
Review by certification body
Issue of certificate
1) Testing by supplies with the designated
testing lab or not
2) Declaration of conformity by supplies
3) Register the DoC at e-KCC website
1) Application by supplies
2) Review by interim Certification committee
3) Issue of certificate with expiration date,
service area)
2 Types and procedure (2)
Procedure
Certification
Testing in
designate
d testing
lab
Apply for
certification
assessment
(RRA*)
Issuance of
certificate
(RRA)
Registration
Supplier
Testing in
designate
d testing
lab
Sales
Apply for
registration
In-house
testing
11
Issuance of
certificate of
registration
(RRA*)
Keep related
documents
(supplier)
3 Market monitoring
Post-market surveillance
Examine and retest to check if equipment complies with
technical requirements
1) asking the person that has received CA to submit the equipment
2) conducting testing after purchasing the equipment
Suppliers` voluntary recall report system regarding equipment
not complying with CA criteria
12
5 Current status of MRA in Korea (1)
MRA(Mutual Recognition Arrangement)
Two or more countries agree to recognize test result or certificate issued by
exporting party’s CAB, recognized by a importing party
Importing economies
Certificatio
n
Exporting economies
Supplier
Export
Testing
Sales
MRA
Phase 1
Supplier
Phase 2
Supplier
Exporting economies
Testing
Export
Exporting economies
Importing economies
Certificatio
Sales
n
Certificatio
n
Testing
Importing economies
Export
Sales
Korea signed phase 1 of MRA with Canada(’97), USA(‘05), Vietnam(‘06) , Chile(’08)
and phase 2 of MRA with EU(’10) in FTA
13
Korea Communications Commission
IV. Implications
1
Comparison to CA systems
2
Lesson from cases
1 Comparison to CA systems
Each country introduces and operates conformity assessment system at the
international level by carefully considering
1) regulatory environment, and 2) the level of communications industry
USA
Japan
EU
Korea
3rd party certification
1st party Supplier’s
*DoC
(Verification, DoC,
SDoC)
3rd party certification
1st party Supplier’s
DoC
1st party Supplier’s
DoC
3rd party certification
1st party Supplier’s
DoC
(registration of
conformity)
Regulatory
Authority
FCC
MIC
Each national RA
KCC
Designating
Authority
NIST
MIC
Each national DA
RRA
Accreditatio
n Body
NIST, A2LA, ANSI
JAB
Each national
AB
KCLAP in RRA
CAB
Private
Private
Private
Testing : Private
Certification: : Gov
ernment
CA System
*
*
*
*
*
FCC : Federal Communications Commission, *NIST : National Institute of Standards and Technology
A2LA : The American Association for Laboratory Accreditation, *ANSI : American National Standards Institute
MIC : The Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, *JAB : Japan Accreditation Boards for Conformity Assessment
KCC : Korea Communications Commission, *KCLAP : Korea Communications Laboratory Accreditation Program
RRA : Radio Research Agency
15
2 Lesson from cases
Lesson
Some economies operate both the 3rd party and the 1st party system
- In the case of the 1st party CA system must be based upon the followings
1) Standardization of product quality at a upper level
2) Trust on supplier’s quality management
3) Establishment of effective post-market surveillance/follow-up control system
Korea introduces initial SDoC Scheme under the circumstance with
full of experience in the 3rd party system
Economies should seriously consider what type of conformity
assessment scheme is appropriate considering the costs and
benefits
- Introducing both 3rd and 1st party system at the same time will bring a financial a
nd administrative burden, it should be introduced on a gradual basis
16
2 Implications
Implications
In the case of the 3rd party system, it should be established
1)evaluation system (accreditation) to ensure fairness and
transparency of CAB works and
2)post-market surveillance system
In the case of the 1st party system, it should be established
1)set-up of conformity assessment criteria to guarantee product
quality and
2)end-user protection policy should be established
17
Thank YOU!
More questions,
Contact to
rrlhkc@rra.go.kr or
jhpaik@tta.or.kr