South Korea has announced proposed revisions to its Regulations on the Classification and Labelling of Chemical Substances under the Act on Registration and Evaluation of Chemicals (K-REACH). The draft amendment was issued by the National Institute of Chemical Safety (NICS) on 2 December 2025 as Announcement No. 127 of 2025.
The proposed changes aim to strengthen hazard communication, improve alignment with updated toxicological assessments, and enhance chemical safety management nationwide.
Addition of 75 Newly Designated Hazardous Substances
The draft revision introduces 75 additional substances to the list of Human Hazardous Substances under Appendix 4 of the regulations. These substances have been identified primarily due to their strong skin corrosion properties.
Each newly listed substance has been assigned a unique identifier ranging from 2025-1-1281 to 2025-1-1355, triggering mandatory classification, labelling, and compliance obligations for relevant companies.
Revisions to Existing Substance Information
In addition to expanding the hazardous substances list, the draft includes several technical updates to existing entries:
- CAS No. 124-43-6 has been added to the substance with unique ID 97-1-3
- The UN number for substance 97-1-79 has been updated to UN 2810
- Chemical name corrections were made for:
- 97-1-381: Sodium fluoride
- 97-1-417: p-Dimethylaminobenzenediazosulfonate
- Updated GHS pictograms (GHS02, GHS05, GHS06) have been assigned to substance 2014-1-717
These revisions are intended to ensure consistency and accuracy across regulatory records.
Effective Date and Immediate Applicability
The revised classification and labelling standards are expected to take effect immediately upon official promulgation, leaving limited transition time for affected stakeholders to implement compliance updates.
Regulatory Context Under K-REACH
The proposal follows amendments to K-REACH that entered into force on 7 August 2025, which expanded the scope and criteria for identifying Human Hazardous Substances. The updated framework requires periodic reassessment of chemical hazards based on new scientific data.
Public Consultation Period
NICS has opened the draft revision for public comment until 22 December 2025. Feedback may be submitted by businesses, industry associations, research institutions, and individuals in accordance with the procedures outlined in the official notice.
Transitional labelling Arrangements
To support compliance implementation, transitional provisions have been proposed under the Chemical Management Act:
- Newly designated hazardous substances must comply with labelling requirements until 1 January 2027
- Sodium hypochlorite (ID: 2025-1-1355) is granted an extended transition period until 1 January 2028
Impact on Chemical Manufacturers and Importers
Companies manufacturing, importing, or distributing chemicals in South Korea should promptly:
- Review the newly added hazardous substances list
- Verify CAS numbers, UN numbers, and GHS classifications
- Update labels, SDS, and internal compliance systems
Early preparation will help reduce regulatory risk and ensure uninterrupted market access once the revision is finalized.
Reach out to our regulation experts on chemical and product regulatory compliances