Korea's NICS to Add GHS Classification and Labeling for 65 Substances, Labeling Due by January 1, 2028

On October 16, 2026, South Korea’s National Institute of Chemical Safety (NICS) issued Notice No. 2026-105, announcing a proposed partial amendment to the Regulations on the Classification and Labeling of Chemical Substances, etc.

The amendment introduces Globally Harmonized System (GHS) classification and labeling information for 65 newly designated hazardous chemicals that recently passed hazard reviews. It also updates 12 existing chemical entries based on new data.

Affected businesses will have a transition period until January 1, 2028, to update their product labels. Public comments on the proposed changes are open through November 5, 2026.

Background

The Regulations are GHS classification and labeling notices issued by NICS under the Korean Act on the Registration and Evaluation of Chemical Substances (K-REACH) and the Chemicals Control Act; the current version is Public Notice No. 2026-17, issued on September 18, 2026. Under Article 18 of K-REACH, NICS conducts hazard reviews of registered chemical substances and, for substances meeting the designation criteria for human acute-hazard substances, human chronic-hazard substances, or eco-hazardous substances (collectively "substances hazardous to humans, etc."), publishes their classification and labeling items in Annex 4 of the Regulations. This amendment, first, newly establishes classification and labeling information for substances whose hazard review has been completed and that are proposed for new designation, and, second, updates the information of published entries based on newly obtained supplementary data.

Key Amendments

The amendment mainly covers three aspects:

1. Adding classification and labeling information for 65 substances: Under "substances hazardous to humans, etc." in Annex 4 of the Regulations, classification and labeling items (Nos. 2026-1-1393 through 2026-1-1457) are newly added for the 65 chemical substances that met the designation criteria in hazard review, covering GHS elements such as hazard classification, pictograms, signal words and hazard statements, as well as M-factors, UN numbers and other information.
2. Revising 12 existing entries: Based on the supplementary data obtained, the chemical substance names, hazard classifications, etc. of 12 existing entries in Annex 4 are revised, including the correction of the CAS number of 1 substance (No. 2018-1-822) and of the UN numbers of 3 substances (Nos. 2026-1-1363, 2026-1-1379 and 2026-1-1380).
3. Setting a labeling transition period: The supplementary provisions of the draft amendment stipulate that, after the Regulations take effect, those who are required to label hazardous chemicals shall complete the labeling prescribed in Article 16 of the Chemicals Control Act by January 1, 2028.

Submission of Comments

Individuals, institutions and organizations (associations) with comments on the draft amendment may submit written comments to the President of NICS (Chemical Substance Registration and Evaluation Division) by November 5, 2026; tel: 032-560-8667, fax: 032-568-2038. After the comment collection, the amendment will be officially announced and will take effect on the date of announcement.

CIRS Insights

The 65 substances newly given classification and labeling information in this amendment are the same as the 65 substances proposed for new designation in the draft amendment to the Public Notice on the Designation of Human Acute-Hazard Substances, Human Chronic-Hazard Substances and Eco-Hazardous Substances issued on the same day. Enterprises exporting to Korea should therefore monitor both the regulatory designation status and the GHS labeling requirements in parallel. After the amendment takes effect, labeling compliance for affected products may be completed by January 1, 2028 at the latest. Enterprises are advised to check as early as possible whether their products involve the newly added or revised entries, and to schedule label updates in accordance with the classification and labeling information in Annex 4.

What Can CIRS Do for You

CIRS Group is a leading provider of comprehensive regulatory compliance services and solutions for chemicals, cosmetics, food and food-related products, agrochemicals, and medical devices. Its chemical team consists of experts with extensive knowledge in chemistry, toxicology, environmental science, and related fields. They are well-versed in various international regulations, including but not limited to EU REACH, CLP, GHS, TSCA, and K-REACH. Our services include, but are not limited to:

• K-REACH Only Representative
• K-REACH Pre-registration
• K-REACH Registration
• Korea SDS and label
• Global GHS SDSs and Labelling
• Global Emergency Telephone Service
• China GHS (Classification, SDSs & Labels)
• Identification of Hazardous Chemicals and Dangerous Goods Transportation Condition in China
• One-Stop Solutions for Chemicals Enterprises throughout Supply Chain

If you need any assistance or have any questions, please directly contact our regulatory experts or get in touch with us via service@cirs-group.com.

Further information

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