A traditional Korean floor heating system known as "ondol" has been adopted as an international standard.

The heating system, which uses hot water to heat the floors of a building, has long been used by Koreans in various forms.

The Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) said the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) adopted the Korean ondol as the new standard for floor heating.

As a result, the ondol floor’s design, thickness, heating capacity and other specifications have become international standards.

The agency, which is affiliated with the Ministry of Knowledge Economy, added that other countries now recognize the health benefits and energy efficiency of the Korean ondol.

It said about half of new houses in Western Europe have adopted similar systems, adding that in the United States, the ondol market is growing 20 percent every year.