Science ministry eases approval path for wireless stations under revised radio rules

The science ministry said Thursday that wireless station operators who check their own equipment against technical standards and submit the results will be treated as having completed the required completion inspection, under amended enforcement rules for the Radio Waves Act that take effect Oct. 22.

The Ministry of Science and ICT published the revision as Ministerial Order No. 177, introducing new forms for the self-certification route and for institutions that want to shield signals for education or training. The change follows the amended Radio Waves Act, published on April 21, and its enforcement decree, published Oct. 20; both also take effect Oct. 22.

The self-certification option, known as wireless station self-conformity confirmation, does not apply to every station. Operators filing under the new procedure must submit a confirmation document and, where required, a certificate issued under the enforcement decree; a separate notice form covers stations that still go through the existing filing route.

The revision also creates a reporting duty for organizations that intend to use signal-blocking devices for education and training. Those institutions must file a use plan with the science minister, attaching an implementation schedule and specifications and performance data for the equipment, including a system diagram.

Applications will be handled through a government service center rather than the previous website portal, and officials will verify business registration certificates through a shared administrative data system unless an applicant declines to consent.

The new forms take effect on Oct. 22, when both the amended act and its enforcement decree also begin to bind operators.