Korea named inaugural chair of ISO drone cybersecurity working group

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has formally launched a devoted working group to draft world cybersecurity guidelines for drones, tapping a Korean cybersecurity scholar to steer the hassle.

This initiative comes as safety vulnerabilities of airborne tech have moved to the middle of worldwide considerations, with uncrewed plane methods shifting from novelty devices to essential infrastructure — delivering packages, conducting industrial inspections and aiding in nationwide protection.

At the twenty first plenary assembly of the ISO’s uncrewed plane methods subcommittee (ISO/TC20/SC16) in Brussels final week, member nations authorised the creation of Working Group 10 (WG10), targeted completely on drone cybersecurity. Lee Jong-hyuk, a professor of data safety at Sejong University, was appointed as its inaugural convenor.

The appointment marks a key victory for Korea, which has actively lobbied for standardized cybersecurity protocols since 2025. With the formal institution of WG10, ISO formally initiated work on its first baseline safety doc, designated ISO/AWI 26390 with the title “Cybersecurity requirements for uncrewed aircraft systems”, led by Lee. The venture goals to ascertain binding worldwide technical benchmarks to mitigate rising world dangers, together with video feed interception, distant hijackings and GPS spoofing.

The transfer underscores Korea’s rising affect in setting world expertise requirements. Of the 26 drone-related requirements at the moment below improvement inside the ISO subcommittee, Korean consultants are main seven. Beyond cybersecurity, Korean convenors already chair working teams on hydrogen propulsion methods and superior air mobility.

During the Brussels meeting, Korean delegates submitted eight further standardization proposals spanning logistical transport procedures, city air mobility noise impression assessments and radar sensor analysis strategies. If authorised by member nation votes, these initiatives will additional develop Korea’s technical footprint throughout the worldwide aviation sector.

“Korean experts are playing a remarkably active role on the international stage,” mentioned Kim Dae-ja, president of the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards. “We intend to provide rigorous support for ongoing standardization efforts to ensure Korea consolidates its standing as a powerhouse in drone technology.”

The announcement comes at a pivotal second for the sector, as ISO member states — together with the United States, China, Japan and the United Kingdom — put together to collect in Seoul this November for the subcommittee’s twenty second plenary session. Hosted at Sejong University, the upcoming meeting is predicted to speed up consensus round cybersecurity and next-generation flight infrastructure, positioning Korea on the heart of the worldwide dialog on autonomous skies.

This article was printed with the help of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.