KTC and KOSA Sign MOU to Enhance Software Quality and IoT Cybersecurity Testing Support for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
KTC and KOSA have announced that they signed a cooperation agreement on the 19th to support the growth of small and medium-sized software companies and assist them in entering the global market in the field of digital technology testing and technical support for government registration GS certification.
Both organizations have pledged to cooperate in various ways to support domestic small and medium-sized enterprises facing challenges due to the rapid changes in the software industry and related regulations both domestically and internationally. This agreement is expected to contribute significantly to support for small and medium-sized companies in related fields, including cybersecurity, AI, metaverse, SaaS, cloud, and other software and digital technology areas through expanded testing, technical support R&D, and educational programs, including CC certification and GS certification.
Market research firm Gartner, in its July report this year, forecasted a growth of 8.8% in the global Information Technology (IT) market and a 13.7% growth in the software market worldwide in 2023. The software sector, in particular, is expected to record double-digit growth in 2023, driven by increased investments in efficiency enhancement platforms such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) applications. Additionally, software spending is predicted to increase this year due to price increases by software vendors.
In line with this continued growth in the software market, KTC will offer benefits to KOSA member companies in the form of GS certification and CC certification testing fee reductions, which could lead to savings of up to 7.5 million won. This is expected to help companies focus on new product research and development and international expansion.
Furthermore, to alleviate the burden of testing fees for government projects for small and medium-sized enterprises due to a reduction in the 2024 government national research and development project budget, KTC plans to provide up to a 10% reduction in fees for Software Verification and Validation (V&V) testing. KTC has been making efforts to relieve the financial burden on domestic small and medium-sized enterprises for testing and certification fees, starting with a cooperation agreement with the Korea Information Security Industry Association (KISIA) in June this year.
KTC is the only testing and certification organization operating at the division level in the field of information and communication technology in South Korea. It supports the growth and global expansion of domestic software development and information security companies by providing testing and certification services such as information security product evaluations (CC certification), software quality certification (GS certification), and IoT security certification, among others. KTC also plays a role in supporting the export of South Korean IT companies through MOUs and designations as testing organizations with global testing and certification agencies such as TUV SUD, NEMKO, Eurofins, in the fields of 5G, software, and cybersecurity.
KOSA, established under the Software Promotion Act, is a leading legal entity in the software industry with over 14,000 member companies. It is responsible for the fair payment of software business fees and provides guidelines for software business fees and conducts reliable surveys and publicizes data on the average wages of software engineers.
President Ahn Sungil of KTC said, "I will do my best to understand and support the testing and certification needs of small and medium-sized software companies, KTC's testing and certification capabilities, and global testing and certification agency channels, so that products can be released on time through the mutual cooperation of both organizations."
Vice President Kim Dong-cheo of KOSA said, "We attach great importance to this cooperation agreement, which can be of great help to small and medium-sized software companies. We will make every effort to create a healthy industry ecosystem and support the growth and international expansion of South Korean software companies, so they can lead the global digital revolution."
