South Korea Notifies WTO of Draft Amendment on Daily Use Consumer Chemical Products subject to Safety Verification, and Safety and Labeling Standards

On December 19th, 2025, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) has circulated a notification titled “Republic of Korea Notifies WTO of Draft Amendment to the Designation of Daily Use Consumer Chemical Products Subject to Safety Verification and Safety and Labelling Standards.” The draft amendment revises the list of daily use consumer chemical products subject to safety verification in response to changes in the regulatory framework for biocidal products. It proposes the deletion, revision, and reclassification of certain household chemical products, alongside tightened safety and labeling standards. The proposed measures strengthen requirements related to child-protective packaging, skin corrosion and aspiration hazard criteria, and improve labeling clarity to prevent misleading product descriptions. The amendment also rationalizes product classification and reporting systems, establishes common safety and labeling standards for specific substances such as hypochlorous acid, and enhances post-market compliance and after-sales management. The objective of the draft amendment is the protection of human health and safety, while improving the effectiveness and consistency of Korea’s chemical product regulatory system under the Consumer Chemical Products and Biocides Safety Control Act. Final date for comments: 28 January 2026.