[Korea SMEs and Startups Agency]
[Korea SMEs and Startups Agency]

Agency passes ISO 37001:2025 transition audit, ISO 37301:2021 surveillance audit

Continues strengthening internal controls after obtaining international certifications last year

Risk profiles for 200 business processes digitized; conflict-of-interest management enhanced

The Korea SMEs and Startups Agency said Friday it has retained its international certifications after passing a transition audit for the ISO 37001:2025 anti-bribery management system standard and a first surveillance audit for the ISO 37301:2021 compliance management system standard.

ISO 37001 and ISO 37301 are international standards established by the International Organization for Standardization, or ISO. They assess the suitability and effectiveness of, respectively, an anti-bribery management system designed to prevent and manage corruption risks within an organization, and a compliance management system that systematically oversees adherence to laws and ethical codes.

The agency first obtained international certification for its anti-bribery and compliance management systems last year and has since carried out improvements to strengthen the effectiveness of its internal control framework.

The agency has used "risk profiles" — control description documents covering 200 individual business processes — to identify and manage operational risks and to reinforce internal audits. The assessment and management process for those risk profiles has also been digitized.

This year, the agency updated its anti-bribery management system to conform to the revised ISO 37001:2025 standard. Requirements newly added or strengthened under the revised standard — including climate-related issues, anti-corruption culture, conflict-of-interest management, and employee awareness and training — have been incorporated into its manuals and operational procedures.

The ISO 37301:2021 surveillance audit covered a comprehensive review of the agency's compliance management system operations, including compliance obligations, risk management, internal audits and management reviews.

"Retaining these certifications is the result of improving our anti-bribery and compliance framework to meet international standards and embedding it in actual day-to-day operations," Korea SMEs and Startups Agency President Kang Seok-jin said. "We will continue to respond to evolving international standards and further advance our internal control framework."


hong@heraldcorp.com