Pursuant to partial revisions of the Enforcement Rule of the Act on Registration and Evaluation of Chemicals (K-REACH) announced on October 15, 2025, the National Institute of Chemical Safety (NICS) released a notice on December 17 regarding the procedure for changing the registration entity, specifically the OR change process, within its system.

South Korea issued the Designation Notice of Human, etc. Hazardous Substances.

On December 2, 2025, the National Institute of Chemical Safety (NICS) of South Korea issued Announcement No. 128 of 2025. In accordance with the Act on Registration and Evaluation of Chemicals (K-REACH), NICS released a draft revision of the Regulations on Classification and Labeling of Chemical Substances, etc. and is seeking public comments.

According to industry sources in South Korea, KECO will comprehensively strengthen supervision in the fourth quarter of 2025.

On February 27, 2025, South Korea’s Ministry of Environment (MoE) and Ministry of Justice (MoJ) jointly announced the launch of a K-REACH Compliance Grace Period from February 28 to October 27, 2025, during which non-compliant companies may voluntarily declare past violations. Enterprises that proactively admit failures to register, amend registrations, or submit pre-registrations before February 27, 2025, and rectify these gaps, will be exempt from criminal penalties (imprisonment of up to 5 years), fines (up to KRW 100 million), and additional penalties (5% of annual turnover).

On May 26, 2025, the National Institute of Chemical Safety (NICS) of South Korea issued Notice No. 2025-8, amending the Hazard Assessment Results of Chemical Substances (originally announced as Notice No. 2025-5 on February 18, 2025) under the Chemical Substances Registration and Evaluation Act (K-REACH) and its enforcement rules. The amendments take effect immediately upon publication.

Under K-REACH, polymers meeting PLC criteria may qualify for registration exemptions by submitting GPC reports.

On February 5, 2025, the South Korean National Assembly officially launched the legislative revision process for the Act on the Registration and Evaluation of Chemicals (K-REACH), aiming to resolve disputes in the joint submission system for chemical substances and fill legal gaps in the replacement procedures for foreign manufacturers’ designated Only Representatives (OR). The revision, undergoing parliamentary review from February 7 to 21, 2025, marks a critical step in enhancing South Korea’s chemical management framework.

After completing K-REACH registration, registrants must fulfill post-registration obligations, including the transmission of chemical substance safety information in the supply chain.

On February 27, 2025, South Korea’s Ministry of Environment (MOE) and Ministry of Justice (MOJ) jointly announced at a press conference that a compliance grace period program under the Act on the Registration and Evaluation of Chemicals (K-REACH) will take effect starting February 28. The policy aims to provide companies that have failed to fulfill chemical management obligations with a rectification window, allowing them to avoid criminal and financial penalties through voluntary reporting.