Access to the South Korean Market

In South Korea, the KC mark brings safety, EMC and radio scopes together under one umbrella. The regime is divided into three levels by risk, and this division determines whether third-party certification is required. The application must be made through a party resident in Korea.

• Testing is carried out in authorised laboratories; because the authorisation of laboratories outside the country is limited by product group, it is confirmed at the outset.
• A CB Scheme report is accepted as input in certain categories and reduces test repetition; national differences are met separately.
• In categories requiring factory inspection, the inspection cannot be substituted by any report.
• Radio requirements are tied to the national frequency arrangement; a radio approval from another market is not valid.
• Chemical and battery registrations run independently of the product mark; having obtained the mark does not satisfy those registrations.

• The KC regime has three levels: mandatory certification, self-regulated approval, and supplier's declaration
• Certification and factory inspection are required for high-risk products
• The applied standards are Korean national standards (KS/K)
• The mains supply is 220 V, 60 Hz
• The certificate is issued in the name of the manufacturer or importer resident in Korea
• Radio scope is separately assessed for wireless products

The application must be made through a party resident in Korea (manufacturer or importer), and the certificate is issued in that party's name. This means that when the importer changes, transfer of the certificate or a new application may be required; this should be considered when setting up the distribution structure.

• KC

1. 01Scope DeterminationIt is determined which legislation and marking scope the product falls under in the target market. This step defines the entire process; getting it wrong wastes all subsequent work.
2. 02Determining Applicable StandardsThe standards accepted by the market and any national deviations are identified. The same IEC standard may apply with different deviations in different markets.
3. 03Establishing the Test PlanIt is assessed which part of existing test reports will be accepted; missing tests are planned. A CB Scheme report, if available, reduces retesting.
4. 04Local Party and RegistrationIf the market requires an established representative, importer or applicant, this party is designated and the necessary registrations are made.
5. 05Tests and Technical FileTests are conducted and the technical file is prepared. Some markets require testing to be performed within their own country.
6. 06Certification or DeclarationDepending on the market's regime, a manufacturer's declaration is drawn up or a certificate is obtained from the authorised body; a factory audit is carried out if required.
7. 07Marking and LabellingThe mark and label are applied according to the market's format and language rules. The language requirement is checked at customs in most markets.
8. 08Shipment and CustomsIf a pre-shipment document is required, it is obtained; the document set to be presented at customs is completed.

• The KC mark and certificate number are shown on the product
• A Korean-language label and user manual are required
• Certificate holder (local party) information appears on the label
• The energy efficiency label additionally applies to products within its scope

• Not realizing the certificate is issued in the importer's name; problems arise when the importer changes
• Incorrectly determining which KC regime the product falls under
• Not scheduling the factory inspection requirement into the timeline
• Not preparing Korean-language documentation