GCA | Korea KC Mark Certification

  Overseas direct-purchase cosmetics With the rise in overseas direct purchases of cosmetics, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has issued important precautions to help prevent consumer harm. Unlike officially imported products, which undergo strict safety inspections in Korea, cosmetics purchased via overseas direct channels do not go through such processes. It's highly recommended to choose officially imported products whenever possible.   Key Precautions for Buying Overseas Cosmetics: Watch Out for False or Exaggerated Claims: Don’t be misled by ads claiming medical benefits like improving dermatitis or reducing inflammation. Always Check Ingredients: Ingredient restrictions vary by country, so it's crucial to review the ingredient list thoroughly. Read the Product Manual: Make sure to check the manual and precautions before using any product, and consult a specialist if any side effects occur.   The MFDS is currently

69 Non-Compliant Overseas Products Blocked from Distribution in Korea The Ministry of Environment inspected 558 products from overseas online retailers and found 69 that did not meet domestic safety standards. These products included household chemicals and metal accessories, which failed to comply with the "Act on Safety Management of Household Chemical Products and Biocides" and the "Chemical Substances Registration and Evaluation Act." The Ministry listed these products on ecolife.me.go.kr and consumer.go.kr , requested retailers to block their sale, and asked Customs to prevent their import. The Ministry confirmed the block and will continue monitoring for any future resale attempts. For more details on the recalled products,   visit our website . If you have any inquiries about KC certification, contact GCA KOREA for expert support! 👉 Contact GCA Tel. +82-31-360-8180 Email: forest.lee@gca-kr.com GCA Global Website

  KATS Issues Recall for 54 Products The Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) has recently conducted a comprehensive safety investigation on 916 products across 73 categories that were found to have high non-compliance rates or pose significant risks, such as fire or accidents. As a result of this investigation, KATS has issued a recall for 54 products. • 14 electrical goods • 14 household goods • 26 children's products For more details on the recalled products, visit our website . If you have any inquiries about KC certification, contact GCA KOREA for expert support! 👉 Contact GCA Tel. +82-31-360-8180 Email: forest.lee@gca-kr.com GCA Global Website

South Korea to Host the 1st World Standards Forum in 2025 South Korea will host the 1st World Standards Forum in Seoul in December 2025. This decision was made at the 2024 ISO General Assembly held in Cartagena, Colombia. Event Overview: The ISO , IEC , and ITU have confirmed Seoul as the venue for the inaugural World Standards Forum, focusing on global business standards. The forum will bring together CEOs, CTOs, and leaders from leading global companies to discuss "Standards for Sustainable Future Growth." Why It Matters: The forum will promote collaboration on innovative standards that drive global growth and sustainability. Stay tuned for more updates on this significant global event! 👉 Contact GCA Tel. +82-31-360-8180 Email: forest.lee@gca-kr.com GCA Global Website

  MFDS Medical Product Approval The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) continues its commitment to ensuring the safety and efficacy of medical products, having approved a total of 126 medical products in August 2024. The approved products include: • 29 pharmaceuticals • 2 quasi-drugs • 95 medical devices This approval figure highlights a notable level of regulatory activity, amounting to 64.6% of the previous year’s monthly average of 195 products and 98.4% of the monthly average of 128 products for the second quarter of this year. You can quickly find the latest updates on domestic medical product approvals and news from the MFDS on the GCA KOREA website. 👉 Contact GCA Tel. +82-31-360-8180 Email: forest.lee@gca-kr.com GCA Global Website

Mandatory Information for Selling EV Drive Batteries When selling a vehicle equipped with a drive battery or the drive battery itself, the following information must be provided for both the drive battery and its cells: Capacity of the drive battery Rated voltage and maximum output of the drive battery Manufacturer of the drive battery cells Type and main materials of the drive battery cells Public Feedback Period Comments on these requirements will be accepted until October 21, 2024 . 👉 Contact GCA Tel. +82-31-360-8180 Email: forest.lee@gca-kr.com GCA Global Website

  KC Certification Required for Electric Scooters Targeted Crackdown on Illegal Product Distribution Begins: Focus on Electric Scooters and Bicycles The Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) has partnered with 22 local governments to launch a targeted crackdown on the distribution of illegal products, including electric scooters and electric bicycles. This operation, running from September 3 to October 24, aims to enforce safety regulations for various products, such as electrical goods, household items, and children's products. Focus on Safety: Addressing High-Risk Items The crackdown will place special emphasis on detecting and stopping the distribution of illegal products that lack KC certification or have been recalled. Recently, items like electric scooters and electric bicycles have attracted significant public concern due to safety risks. As a result, these products will be closely monitored. Distributors found violating safety regulations may face severe consequ

The Korean government has introduced new measures to improve fire safety for electric vehicles (EVs). 1. Strengthening Battery Management The EV battery certification will begin with a pilot project in October, ahead of the original schedule, and require mandatory public disclosure of key battery details. EV inspections will include expanded battery checks, and a battery history management system will start in February next year. 2. Enhancing BMS for Fire Risk Detection Hyundai, Kia, and other manufacturers will offer free BMS upgrades for older EVs and extend free alert services. Incentives like car insurance discounts and public awareness campaigns will promote BMS use. A pilot program to automatically alert fire authorities in high-risk cases will begin next year. 3. Expanding Smart Control Chargers To prevent fires, existing slow chargers will be gradually replaced with smart control chargers, considering factors like their age and nearby fire safety facilities. 👉 Contact GCA Tel.

  The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) has issued an administrative notice on September 5 regarding amendments to the 'Medical Device Manufacturing and Quality Management Standards' aimed at reducing the burden of on-site inspections for medical device manufacturers. The MFDS will collect opinions on these changes until September 26. Key Changes in the Amendment: 1. Simplified Regular Inspections for High-Quality Manufacturers Manufacturers with excellent quality systems will now have their regular inspections primarily conducted through document review, rather than on-site, and the inspection cycle will be extended from three to six years. The number of required submission documents is also reduced to six types. 2. Revised Conformity Assessment Criteria For minor nonconformities with minimal impact on quality, the new criteria will allow conditional sales, provided corrective actions are completed within a specified timeframe. 3. Enhanced Standards for Quality Assessors

The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, together with the Korea Energy Agency, held the 2024 Energy Efficiency Target System Seminar in Busan on September 4. Overview of the KEEP 30 Program KEEP 30 is a program where 30 major energy-consuming companies aim to improve their energy efficiency by 1% annually from 2023 to 2027, with government support. The program officially began in 2023 after an agreement was signed in October 2022. First-Year Achievements of KEEP 30 In its first year (2023), the KEEP 30 program exceeded expectations, achieving an average energy intensity improvement rate of 2.2% among participating companies, surpassing the initial target of 1%. Sixteen companies reported improvement rates over 1%, with the automotive, cement, and steel industries showing the highest gains. Boost in Energy Efficiency Investments Policies like KEEP 30 and support for upgrading to high-efficiency equipment have significantly increased private investments in energy efficiency. After

  The Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS), under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, recently announced the results of a comprehensive safety investigation on 190 popular products sold on overseas online platforms. The findings revealed that 40 of these products did not comply with Korean safety standards. Why Was This Investigation Conducted? This investigation was initiated in response to growing concerns over the safety of overseas direct purchase (ODP) products. The non-compliance rate was alarmingly high at 21.1%, much higher than the 6.1% average non-compliance rate for products distributed domestically. This highlights the potential risks consumers may face when purchasing products from overseas platforms. Breakdown of the Non-Compliant Products Here’s a closer look at the investigation findings: Electrical Products: Out of 66 items inspected, 14 failed to meet safety standards. This includes: 8 DC power supplies 3 LED fixtures 2 plugs and sockets 1 waffle

Updates to High-Efficiency Energy Equipment Regulations   1. Extension of Certification Validity The validity period for High-Efficiency Energy Equipment Certification and Performance Test Reports has been extended from 3 years to 4 years. 2. New Provisions for Excluded Items New supplementary provisions have been established for items excluded from certification due to the planned transfer of the efficiency rating system for tubular LED lamps (external converter type) and large pumps (WA-C5-G2). These changes will be effective from January 1, 2025. 3. Changes to EV Charging Equipment Regulations - Modification of Capacity Calculation: The KC certification rated capacity calculation method is being changed from input to output, resulting in a revised capacity range and the introduction of a new application system (Tesla coupler type). - Clarification of Efficiency Testing Standards: The input/output measurement locations and points (maximum voltage, maximum current) for efficiency test