Korea KC Certification | GCA

Recently, cases have been identified where audio equipment placed on the Korean market complies with KC Product Safety and EMC/RF requirements, but the mandatory registration under the e-Standby Program has been overlooked. Products subject to the e-Standby Program must complete the required registration before being introduced to the Korean market. Manufacturers and importers are therefore advised to review the applicable regulatory requirements in advance to avoid unnecessary business risks and potential market compliance issues. •  What is the e-Standby Program? The e-Standby Program is one of Korea's mandatory energy efficiency programs, designed to promote the reduction of standby power consumption in electronic products. Manufacturers and importers of regulated products must test their products in accordance with the prescribed technical standards and measurement methods and complete the required registration with the Korea Energy Agency within 60 days after completion. ...

1. Approval Type E-standby : Applies to products such as Printer, Copy machine, Scanner, Audio device, Microwave oven, Door phone, Corded and cordless telephone, Server, and Router(with both wired & wireless interfaces). Note : Korean importers shall be the applicant for foreign manufacturers. 2. E-standby Labeling Requirements Energy saving mark When the e-standby requirements are met Standby power reduction excellence products are registered on the KEA(Korea Energy Agency) website Standby power warning mark When the e-standby requirements are not met This product does not meet the standby power reduction requirement(translation of the warning statement) Standby power warning labeling products are registered on the KEA website. The marking shall be placed on the front, top, nameplate, or other visible part of the product so that it is easily noticeable by consumers. 3. Submission of the annual report to KEA Local manufacturers and importers shall ...

On December 29, 2025, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (MCEE) issued Announcement No. 2025-220 , proposing a partial amendment to the Operational Regulations of the e-Standby Program. Public opinions will be accepted until January 18, 2026. Key Proposed Revisions Transfer of management scope: Multifunction printers and bidets will be transferred from products subject to the e-Standby program to the minimum energy performance standard (MEPS), as their power consumption during operating mode requires management.         - Multifunction printers: Effective from January 1, 2025         - Bidets: Effective from January 1, 2026 Exclusion of target products: Facsimiles, modems, and digital converters will be excluded from the products subject to the e-Standby program due to declining demand and reduced need for power consumption management. GCA Korea provides expert support for global companies navigating Korea’s regulatory requireme...