The new rules establish procedures and security requirements for South Korean companies, research institutes and government agencies seeking access to standards used by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
NATO standards are important for ensuring interoperability with weapons systems operated by alliance members and for conducting certification and testing. They can also play a key role in defense exports to NATO countries and participation in multinational research and development projects.
Demand for access to such standards has increased as South Korean defense exports to NATO members and joint R&D cooperation have expanded, particularly following recent summit-level engagement between South Korea and the alliance.
Until now, however, there had been no clearly defined domestic process for requesting, providing and managing NATO standards. Requests were often handled on a case-by-case basis, creating difficulties for companies seeking the documents and for DAPA in supporting them.
“Exports to Europe have increased since the war in Ukraine,” a DAPA official said. “As European countries accelerate rearmament, the need for local production and joint research and development has also grown in order to enter those markets.”
DAPA said the guidelines were drawn up based on NATO security policies, a security administrative arrangement between South Korea and NATO, and domestic security regulations.
A Defense Ministry spokesperson also confirmed the move at a regular briefing Monday.
“DAPA has established guidelines for the provision and management of NATO standards, setting out procedures for providing them to domestic companies and institutions as well as security management requirements,” the spokesperson said.
The agency said the move is significant because it creates, for the first time, a framework through which Korean companies and institutions can obtain NATO standards more quickly and systematically.
Under the guidelines, NATO standards will be categorized according to their disclosure status and security classification, with separate requirements and procedures governing how each type can be requested, obtained and provided.
For non-public standards, DAPA will obtain the documents through NATO’s online database and provide them to qualified applicants. Classified standards will require NATO approval before they can be obtained and distributed.
The guidelines also establish post-access security requirements, including procedures for returning or destroying documents, facility security measures and reporting requirements in the event of a security breach.
DAPA said it is difficult to quantify how much the new system will increase defense exports, but expects it to help Korean companies demonstrate the performance and compatibility of their products when pursuing new projects in Europe.
The agency cited Hanwha Systems’ cooperation with a British company in the satellite sector as an example of the growing number of international R&D projects that could benefit from smoother access to NATO standards.
AJP Takeaways
· South Korea’s DAPA has introduced its first formal guidelines for providing and managing NATO standards, giving Korean defense companies clearer access to technical requirements needed for NATO-market exports and joint R&D.
· The new framework sets procedures for obtaining non-public and classified NATO standards while establishing security rules for handling, returning and destroying sensitive documents.
· DAPA expects easier access to NATO standards to help Korean defense firms prove interoperability and performance in Europe, supporting exports, local production and international defense cooperation.
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