RRL Paves the
Way for u-Society

Focuses on the efficient use of radio spectrum to introduce new technologies and services

Radio Research Laboratory (RRL) has been securing new radio wave resources through spectrum sharing technology and development of unused radio frequencies with the goal of creating a u-Society. The agency is developing an environment for utilizing new technologies, including those related to communication and broadcasting convergence, Ultra Wideband (UWB) and RFID, establishing a test bed for such radio-related equipment as home network, robotics, ubiquitous sensor network (USN) and other infrastructure for realizing of u-Society.
The following are the excerpts of an interview with Kim Chi-dong, director general of RRL, with NewsWorld ― Ed.
Question: Would you introduce the organization of RRL?
Answer: RRL is a research agency under the wing of the Ministry of Information and Communication, established on February 5, 1966 that specializes in research of radio resources, research of radio environments, technology criteria of information and communications equipment and their quality certification,
thereby contributing to the development of the nation's information and communications industry.
The research agency is manned by 178 people ― 39 research officials with masters and doctorate degrees. It is composed of five divisions and a branch institute ― Radio Resource Research Division, Radio Environment Research Division, Regulations Research Division, Certification Division, Administration Division and Incheon Branch Institute. RRL is responsible for performing duties like research and development of radio wave resources and development on spectrum utilization; research of the radio environment and its protection; forecasting and warning against radio waves in space; certificating, testing and conducting follow-up management of information and communication equipment; and conducting international registration of frequencies and subsequently cooperating with international organizations and foreign agencies.
Q: Would you explain to our readers about the current status of information and communication product certification system and IT NEP (New Excellent Product) certification system?
A: In 1968, RRL began to grant a type of certification for radio equipment. The agency is now in charge of certifying all information and communication equipment, produced domestically and put on the domestic market. The certification system is divided into four categories ― type verification, type registration, type approval and electromagnetic compatibility registration. The purpose of the certification system is to establish the rules concerning the usage of radio spectrum and protect the radio spectrum environment and national trunk communications networks.
RRL has continuously improved the certification system to protect consumers'rights and secure an external competitive edge of the related industry. To this end, the agency has been operating a reporting center designed to prevent the distribution of counterfeit or inferior information communication equipment since 2003.
It has been beefing up post-sale management for the purpose of protecting consumers by forming collaboration networks with consumer organizations and distribution firms.
RRL has been providing an on-line service to certification applicants to process about 15,000 certification applications per annum and ease inconvenience applicants experience since July 2003. Over 98 percent of all certification application was processed by on-line services in 2006. Starting on January 1, 2007, the on-line system has been upgraded into the one-stop service one in which information communication certification applicants could issue their certificate via their own computer.
The NEP (New Excellent Product) certification system, introduced in June 2006, is designed to grant certification to IT products with excellent quality and far-reaching economic and technological spill-over effects, developed with the nation's first technologies. Companies which obtain the NEP mark are given lots of benefits such as public organizations'preferential purchase, market exploration,
publicity activities and other financial support. In particular, the system becomes a boon to SMEs and venture companies striving to enter new markets. During last year, 18 manufacturing companies submitted certification applications, but only five products were issued the NEP mark. The agency plans to strengthen activities designed to publicize the NEP certification system by sending printed materials to some 14,000 IT SMEs and holding regional explanation sessions in order to help more SMEs churn out excellent IT products and revitalize the dynamics of the smaller venture industry.
Q: Would you explain the current status and future plans of a bid to standardize DMB?
A: The ITU Radio communication Sector (ITU-R) has been striving to set an international standard on mobile multimedia broadcasting since 2003. Korea's T- DMB, one-segment by ISDB-T of Japan, Nokia's DVB-H (Digital Video Broadcasting-Handheld) and Qualcomm's FLO (Forward Link Only) have been involved in the discussions regarding creation of a standard.
Many countries are to introduce mobile multimedia broadcasting services with digital convergence technologies that allow audiences to watch programs they choose anywhere at their convenience. Countries like the United States, Japan and Europe have been making all-out efforts to make their own broadcasting standards the international norm to preoccupy the global broadcasting market.
Korea has already made accomplishments with the world's first development of WiBro and commercialization of DMB products. T- DMB services have been put in place across the nation since 2006. Korea has made strenuous efforts to make its own T- DMB an international standard.
In August 2006, RRL organized an international standardization conferences on ITU-R broadcasting technologies in Seoul in which T- DMB terminals, produced by domestic makers, were demonstrated to show off its prowess, grabbing the attention of international participants and gaining their accolades.
RRL plans to accelerate efforts to make Korea's T- DMB an international standard by dispatching a delegation comprised of representatives from industry, university and research circles to an ITU-R.
Q: Would you elaborate on Korea's activities concerning the standardization of information and communication technology (ICT) in Korea and abroad?
A: Thanks to technological advancement, the IT industry has been transformed into an era of digital convergence, offering new products and services made with a combination of technologies. Amid the backdrop to these changes, competition is getting fierce among companies to make their diverse technologies international standards, an essential factor for determining their survival and securing national competitive edge.
Recognizing the significance of technological standardization, RRL has laid an institutional foundation on standardization. In December 2000, the agency established a separate division specializing in standardization, designed to provide technological support and expertise in working out national standardization policies.
The Information Telecommunication Standard Council Secretariat has been established and operated with the goal of ensuring fairness and transparency in standardization. About 480 national standards have been so far worked out, including those on the safety of the general public and convenience of the handicapped since 2001.
RRL established the Korea ITU-R Committee in 1991, conducted research activities in the information telecommunication field, but in 2005, it was expanded into the Korea ITU Committee, headed by the director general of RRL and manned by about 450 experts from industry, university and research circles to simultaneously conductor research in the ITU telecommunication Standardization Sector (ITU-T) and ITU Telecommunication Development Sector (ITD-D).
With RRL's leadership, aggressive budgetary support and efforts to foster experts, the Korea ITU Committee has put its 62 members in 32 fields to work as chairmen, vice chairmen and reporters of the ITU. The Korea ITU Committee, playing leading roles as standard taker or standard maker, has submitted 104 questions based on the survey and analysis of ITU topics and 361 national dissertations based on the views from industry, university and research circles to the ITU.
The committee proposed our position in the enactment and revision of the ITU chapter, contracts and resolutions as well as the approval of ITU's financial and operational strategies during the 2006 session of the ITU Council in Turkey, and Korea was elected to a member country of the ITU Council for the fifth time.
RRL is striving to take the lead in Korea's standardization by further evolving the Korea ITU Committee to beef up Korea's standardization activities in the international stage and standard dissemination.
Q: What steps does RRL take to encourage better utilization of radio wave resources and prevent malfunction of electromagnetic waves?
A: RRL has been performing research on electromagnetic interference (EMI) and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) technology standards in a bid to protect telecommunication services from EMI caused by unnecessary electromagnetic waves of electric/electronic equipment since 1986. The agency has been carrying out survey of usage status for radio spectrum and the research of radio environment. As controversy over whether radio emission from handsets might have adverse impact on human bodies has been mounting, RRL has been conducting study on the protection of human bodies from radio waves, using simulation models of human body since 1998. It has submitted applications for three patents, one utility model and five designs. In 2002, the agency transferred the technologies related to EMC to domestic handset makers and testing laboratories, thus contributing to the protection of the domestic industry by helping Korean firms advance to foreign countries which employ EMC-related standards as new trade barriers.
Q: What steps does RRL take to realize a ubiquitous society?
A: Demand for radio resources has been surging for the purpose of realizing u-Society.
RRL has been securing new radio wave resources through radio-sharing technology and development of unused radio frequencies with the goal of building up a u-Society. The agency is working on the efficient use of radio frequencies to brace for the introduction of new technologies and services, including WiBro, T- DMB and IMT-Advnaced.
As part of its efforts to take the lead in the realization of u-Society, the agency is putting more energy into developing an environment for utilizing new technologies such as communication and broadcasting convergence technology, Ultra Wideband (UWB) and RFID, ubiquitous sensor network (USN) and other infrastructure for realization of u-Society.
Q: What tasks does RRL plan to implement during 2007?
A: RRL has been supporting the u-IT839 Strategy adopted by the Ministry of Information and Technology, while contributing to securing radio spectrum sovereignty and helping domestic companies enter forcing markets. During 2006, the agency was reorganized to cope with rapid changes and correspond to the development of radio utilization technology and it was designated as a clean certification institution in recognition of innovating the way administrative services are offered.
Making the most of its achievements, RRL is striving to focus on five priority areas during 2007 with the goal of becoming a futuristic state-run institution.
First, RRL plans to build up research infrastructure for developing new radio wave resources and step up support for policy research. To this end, the agency will implement a project for building up a radio wave resources analysis system, radio wave interference research and analysis on a step-by-step basis while establishing a vision of radio wave resources designed to suggest future-oriented ways of utilizing radio wave resources. RRL will launch a project to develop a military radio wave resources management system for completion in 2009.
Second, the agency will concentrate on creating an environment for the safe use of radio resources by solving side effects, caused by using radio spectrum and portion of human bodies from electromagnetic waves.
Third, RRL will work to standardize technologies related to the introduction of new services, change technology standards into customer-oriented ones and build up a foundation for introducing wideband convergence services.
Fourth, the agency will further strengthen its cooperative ties in implementing international standardization projects. RRL will press for its bid to make Korea's own technologies the international standard, while helping SMEs enter foreign markets by signing MRAs with other countries. The agency plans to build up an international cooperation network on the safe use of satellite networks among Korea, Japan and China.
Lastly, RRL plans to establish a clean administrative service system aimed to removing inconveniences applicants experience and offer better services by facilitating on-line services during 2007. nw

Kim Chi-dong, director general of Radio Research Laboratory

(from above photo) the G-TEM Cell, an electromagnetic shield system and an anechoic chamber

(from above photo) an electromagnetic wave measurement center, a testing system and medium- and large-size chambers.