South Korea named to ISO council, host of 2015 general assembly

South Korea has been named to the Council of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), as well as to host the organization's 2015 general assembly, the government said Monday. South Korea was named as a council member at the 36th ISO general assembly held in Russia's St. Petersburg last week, according to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy. "The country needed the status as a council member in order to actively promote its views on ISO policies as the ISO Council is the organization's highest decision-making body," the ministry said in a press release. Under its designation as a council member, the country will serve a three-year term starting next year. The ISO Council currently comprises 20 member countries, including the United States, Japan, China, Russia and Germany. South Korea has also been named the host country of the ISO general assembly in 2015, according to the ministry. It will be the first ISO general assembly to be held in South Korea and the fifth in Asia. South Korea joined the international body in 1963.