South Korea Updates Chemical Classification and Labeling Regulations
75 New Hazardous Substances Added Under K-REACH
Overview
On December 2, 2025, the National Institute of Chemical Safety (NICS) of South Korea issued Announcement No. 127 of 2025, releasing a draft amendment to the Regulations on Classification and Labeling of Chemical Substances under the Act on Registration and Evaluation of Chemicals (K-REACH).
The proposed revision reflects the outcomes of recent hazard re-evaluations and introduces new classification and labeling requirements for substances posing significant risks to human health.
Key Regulatory Updates
New Classification and Labeling Requirements
Based on hazard assessment results, the revision clarifies the classification and labeling obligations for substances designated as Human Hazardous Substances, particularly those exhibiting strong skin corrosive properties.
As a result:
75 new substances have been added to Appendix 4 (Human Hazardous Substances).
The assigned unique identification numbers range from
2025-1-1281 to 2025-1-1355.
Updates to Existing Substance Information
Several updates have also been made to existing entries, including:
Addition of CAS No. 124-43-6 to substance 97-1-3.
Revision of the UN number to 2810 for substance 97-1-79.
Updated chemical names:
97-1-381: Sodium fluoride
97-1-417: p-Dimethylaminobenzenediazosulfonate
Updated hazard pictograms for substance 2014-1-717:
GHS02 (Flammable)
GHS05 (Corrosive)
GHS06 (Acute toxicity)
Detailed substance information is available on the official NICS website.
Effective Date
The amendment is scheduled to take effect immediately upon official announcement.
Regulatory Background
This revision is primarily driven by amendments to the K-REACH Act, which entered into force on August 7, 2025. The updated legislation expanded the designation criteria for Human Hazardous Substances to include:
Substances with acute or chronic human health hazards
Ecotoxic substances
Following the expanded scope, re-evaluations were conducted, necessitating the inclusion of newly classified substances and revisions to existing regulatory information.
Transitional Measures
In accordance with Article 16 of the Chemical Management Act:
Hazard labeling must be completed by January 1, 2027.
For sodium hypochlorite (ID No. 2025-1-1355), the labeling deadline is extended to January 1, 2028.
Conclusion
This regulatory update reinforces South Korea’s commitment to strengthening chemical safety and protecting human health under K-REACH. Manufacturers, importers, and downstream users operating in the Korean market should carefully review the updated classification and labeling requirements and ensure timely compliance.