Korea Agency for Technology and Standards, partner groups join pact
Two-track cooperation targets on-site challenges, workforce training
Hyundai Motor and Kia announced Monday they had signed the "2026 MOU on Technology Regulation Response Support for Future Vehicle Transition" with the Korea Agency for Technology and Standards, the Hyundai Motor and Kia cooperative association and the K-Mobility Bridge Foundation, and held a "Seminar for Representatives of High Greenhouse Gas Emitters" with parts suppliers.
Hyundai Motor and Kia have operated a "virtuous-cycle greenhouse gas reduction co-prosperity program" since last year to help suppliers cut emissions. The new MOU expands on existing equipment-focused support, bringing in the government and related agencies to help suppliers understand global greenhouse gas technology regulations and develop their own response strategies.
The four organizations will divide responsibilities along two tracks: resolving on-site challenges and training specialist personnel. Hyundai Motor and Kia will identify difficulties suppliers face in the field, and the Korea Agency for Technology and Standards will use that information to help address environmental and carbon regulation hurdles across the global supply chain. Hyundai Motor and Kia will also support the standardization of supply chain carbon management systems and their adoption across the industry. The four organizations plan to form a working-level council to share challenges and serve as a communication channel for coordinating support.
On the workforce training track, the Korea Agency for Technology and Standards and the K-Mobility Bridge Foundation will run education programs on supply chain carbon management and responses to external regulations, while the cooperative association will encourage supplier participation. The initiative aims to strengthen suppliers' capabilities through mentoring on global supply chain regulation compliance and training programs for greenhouse gas reduction specialists.
At the seminar held after the signing ceremony, Hyundai Motor and Kia shared their greenhouse gas management policies and presented awards to suppliers that achieved outstanding results in emissions reduction assessments. The companies plan to expand the scope and funding of the co-prosperity program next year based on those assessment results.
"We will bring together public and private sector expertise to help suppliers understand complex global technology regulations and develop response strategies," a Hyundai Motor and Kia official said. "We will support both greenhouse gas reduction and regulatory compliance to strengthen suppliers' export competitiveness."
Meanwhile, Hyundai Motor and Kia recently held a certification ceremony for the "ISO-based Functional Safety Process International Standard" at Pangyo Techone in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province.
The certification confirms that the companies' development processes and functional safety management systems — covering the entire semiconductor development cycle — meet international standards. Hyundai Motor and Kia have built and operated their own standardized process optimized for automotive system-on-chip development since 2025.
eyre@heraldcorp.com
