Chemical Labeling and SDS Requirements in South Korea
South Korea regulates workplace chemical hazard communication primarily under the Occupational Safety and Health Act and Ministry of Employment and Labor rules, with additional chemical management obligations under K-REACH and the Chemical Substances Control Act. Manufacturers and importers should confirm SDS submission, Korean-language SDS, labelling, confidential business information, and product-category requirements before placing hazardous chemicals on the Korean market.
SDS Requirements
SDSs for hazardous chemicals in South Korea must be prepared in Korean and aligned with the Korean GHS framework under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Manufacturers and importers are generally required to submit SDSs to the Ministry of Employment and Labor system before manufacture or import unless an exemption applies. The SDS should be consistent with the product label, include required 16-section information, and handle confidential ingredient claims through the applicable approval or disclosure process.
Consumer Label Requirements
Consumer chemical products may be regulated separately from workplace chemicals. Depending on the product, South Korea may require compliance with the Consumer Chemical Products and Biocides Safety Act, the Chemical Substances Control Act, K-REACH, food/drug/cosmetic rules, pesticide rules, or other sector-specific legislation. Consumer labels should include Korean-language hazard, safe-use, storage, disposal, supplier, and product-specific statutory information where applicable.
Workplace Label Requirements
Workplace labels for hazardous chemicals should follow Korean GHS requirements under the Occupational Safety and Health Act. Labels should communicate the product identifier, pictograms, signal word, hazard statements, precautionary statements, supplier information, and other required details in Korean. Workplace labels must remain consistent with the SDS and be maintained for containers used, stored, or transferred in the workplace.
Need Help with Compliance?
Nexreg assists manufacturers, importers, and distributors with South Korea SDS authoring, chemical classification, workplace labeling, consumer labeling, and regulatory compliance. Our regulatory specialists can help simplify market access and keep hazard communication documents aligned with applicable requirements.
