Breaking News! Latest K-REACH Government Support Program Announced

In order to promote K-REACH registration and reduce the registration cost for small and medium-sized enterprises in South Korea, South Korea's government announced the registration whole process support program (the fifth time) in March 2024. The specific content of the program is as follows:

I. Substances Supported by the Program

Existing chemical substances that small and medium-sized enterprises focus on and hope to complete registration at an early date. These substances must also meet the following requirements:

• substances with registration exemptions from 2027 to 2030 (annual production/import volume of more than 1t/a and less than 100t/a, CMR substances excepted);
• more than 2 small and medium-sized Korean enterprises are active members in the consortium, with substances to be registered within 2 years; and
• substances that can form a consortium, select the lead registrant and confirm active members.

II. Content of the Support Program

i. Cost Support for Joint Registration of Existing Chemical Substances

from the formation of the consortium (selection of the lead registrant) to the completion of the registration.

Process of Consortium Registration

ii. Cost Support Details

(a). Registration and consulting fees

These include the composition and operation of the consortium, substance identity confirmation, data gap analysis, test program determination, use investigation, CSR compilation, registration dossier preparation, etc.

※ The Korean government only supports the consulting fees required for the joint registrations of small and medium-sized enterprises among active members; large enterprises in the consortium and foreign manufacturers and producers shall bear their consulting fees by themselves.

(b). Harmful test data fees

Partially reduced the test fees generated by GLP laboratory based in South Korea - 80-95% of the alternative test and 60-70% of the general test.

※ Costs arising from the purchase of test data could not get government support. 

(c). Exposure scenario building

This mainly includes government-supported materials such as harmful information DB construction materials, harmful data production support software (K-Chesar), and exposure scenario building tools(ESD&T).

III. Program Application and Object Selection

• Application time: May 2, 2024 to 14:00 May 31, 2024
• Application object: the lead registrant of the consortium
• Application method: apply via the Chemical Substance Registration Support System (sbm.kcma.or.kr)
• Selection results: Results will be published on the homepage of relevant websites around mid-June, 2024.
• Related websites: Korea Chemical Material Management Association: www.kcma.or.kr ; Industry Help Center: www.chemnavi.or.kr ; Chemical Registration Support System: sbm.kcma.or.kr

IV. Relevant Notices

• The only representative of a foreign manufacturer in South Korea, regardless of the actual size of the enterprise, is not considered as a small and medium-sized enterprise supported by this program.
• If the documents submitted are incomplete, the responsible agency may require supplementary, and may exclude the selection qualification of the support object; false application will be disqualified.
• If the enterprise abandons the program midway or it is confirmed the enterprise submitted false application materials, it may be restricted from participating in the support program carried out by the Association in the future.
• The selected substances cannot be repeatedly supported by other support programs.
• If the lead registrant of the consortium is a consulting agency, it will be restricted from participating in the support program.
• The harmful test materials generated under the support of the support program are jointly owned by the government and the enterprise as per the proportion shared by each party. The copyright is also registered and owned jointly.
• Only when the contract is signed with the consulting agency listed in the "Catalogue of Consulting Agencies to Participate in the Support Program in 2024" can the support program be applied for.
• The registration certificate of the lead registrant of the consortium should be submitted to the Association within 2 years ("26.6.30."). If the lead registrant is not the largest member of the registered tonnage in the consortium or the support object of CSR production, the corresponding member registration notice must be submitted within the program period (2026.6.30). 

CIRS Group Korea, as one of the officially appointed consulting agencies of the support program, can join qualified enterprises in and outside Korea to form a consortium to apply for the existing government support program for chemical substances and assist enterprises to complete the corresponding registration work at the best cost. If you need any assistance or have any questions, please get in touch with us via service@cirs-group.com.