Entering the South Korean Market: The KC Mark

The KC mark is South Korea's product safety and conformity regime; it brings the safety, EMC and radio scopes under one roof. The regime is divided into three according to risk level.

The application must be made through a party established in Korea (manufacturer or importer) and the certificate is issued in that party's name.

• A test report to the Korean national standards (KS/K)
• Device description, model list and circuit diagram
• Critical component list
• Factory inspection records (for compulsory certification)
• Korean label and user manual

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 mains supply is 220 V, 60 Hz
• The certificate is issued in the name of the local party; a change of importer requires a process
• Radio scope is separately assessed for wireless products
• The KC mark and certificate number are shown on the product

1. 01Compulsory certification and the declaration routesThe risk class determines which tier applies: certification, a self-issued declaration or a supplier declaration. Determining the class is the first decision.
2. 02A single mark and separate assessmentsSafety, electromagnetic compatibility and radio are assessed separately; a single mark represents them all but they are shown separately in the technical file.
3. 03The product mark and chemical and battery registrationsChemical substance and battery registration legislation runs independently of the mark; having obtained the mark does not satisfy those registrations.
4. 04An authorised laboratory and an accredited laboratoryAccreditation alone is not sufficient; the laboratory is required to be authorised for that product group.

This page describes entry into the South Korea market. The scheme itself — its scope, process, validity period and required documents — is covered in detail on the certification page.

This section's content is being prepared. The roadmap specific to your product and target market at the quote stage in writing.