Seoul pushes data diplomacy through student contests and China talks

The National Data Service recently hosted the 28th National Student Statistics Utilization Contest, drawing 1,640 teams from elementary to high school levels. Winning teams received scholarships ranging from 500,000 won to 1 million won, with top entries earning the right to represent the country at the International Statistical Poster Competition. An Hyung-joon, head of the National Data Service, stated that data has become a new growth engine for the nation in the AI era.

The National Institute of Environmental Sciences is leading a push to elevate a groundwater sub-committee within the International Organization for Standardization to a full technical committee. This marks the first time a Korean proposal has reached the voting stage for establishing a new ISO technical committee. With a vote underway among 135 member states until Sept. 29, the final decision on the establishment and the secretariat country will be made in March 2027.

The Ministry of Science and ICT resumed high-level information and communications technology dialogues with China on Aug. 24, ending an eight-year hiatus in formal strategy talks between the two neighbors. The meeting followed a digital technology cooperation memorandum signed during a January summit. Delegates discussed strengthening core technological capabilities and managing radio waves efficiently. Bae Kyung-hoon, the science minister, emphasized that both nations face common opportunities and challenges arising from rapid digital expansion.