When talking about worldwide benchmarks, people use the expression "global standard." A standard means a "norm." A standard is a promise that spans the economy, industry, and technology. Sometimes technological progress creates the need for a "standard," but a single standard can also drive a leap of revolutionary scale. Based on a survey of experts across industry, academia, research, and the press, the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards and ChosunBiz selected the "top 10 standards that changed the world" and the "top 10 standards that changed Koreans' lives and the economy," and reexamine the role of standards. [Editor's note]
In the early 1960s, Korea treated the wounds of war and sprinted toward industrialization. Living standards were poor. The quality of goods used in factories and homes was uneven. The "KS certification system" started with the aim of producing products of uniform quality. It was the beginning of the "Korean Industrial Standards," in which the state directly guaranteed product quality.
The first subject of the KS standard was the "incandescent bulb." At the time, bulbs had short lifespans or socket sizes that did not match, forcing people to jam them in, and their brightness was inconsistent. The standard solved these problems.
In 1962, the incandescent bulb certification standard was established, and the following year, the "Lightning" incandescent bulb produced by Kumho Electric obtained the first KS certification (KS C 7501). With the establishment of the standard, the lifespan and brightness of bulbs and socket standards were unified so that any product could be used safely and stably. As a result, lighting could be supplied reliably to homes, schools, and factories, and manufacturers were able to compete on quality within unified criteria.
The incandescent bulb was more than a simple light. In homes, it illuminated the nights of students burning with academic zeal as they resolved to overcome poverty. In factories, night shifts boosted productivity. In this way, the incandescent bulb became a symbol of improved living standards and industrialization.
The incandescent bulb industry later became the starting point that led to Korea's advanced display industry. The demands of consumers and industry for "brighter, longer-lasting, more efficient light" led to technological progress.
The glass processing, metal component manufacturing, and mass production technologies secured while making incandescent bulbs were accumulated in our industry. The quality control and manufacturing experience accumulated in this way led to the development of fluorescent lights and LEDs. LEDs then evolved into OLED and microLED. Korea's display technology rose to a world-class position. Now Korea's technology shines in TVs in living rooms around the world, smartphones, and automotive displays.
The social and economic effects brought by standards and technological progress were immense. Compared with incandescent bulbs, LEDs reduced power consumption by more than 80 percent, lowering household electricity bills and improving the country's overall energy efficiency.
OLED and microLED went beyond simple lighting to create a new industry of "screens," leading Korea to become a global display powerhouse. The incandescent bulb standard was not merely about using "light" longer and more efficiently; it was a historic stepping stone that enabled Korea's manufacturing sector to leap into the global market on the strength of quality and trust.