South Korea Proposes Expanded Designation of Hazardous Substances under Revised K-REACH

On December 2, 2025, South Korea’s National Institute of Chemical Safety (NICS) issued Announcement No. 128 of 2025, releasing a draft revision to the Designation Notice of Human Acute Hazardous Substances, Human Chronic Hazardous Substances, and Ecological Hazardous Substances under the Chemical Substances Registration and Evaluation Act (K-REACH). The draft follows amendments to K-REACH that took effect on August 7, 2025, which expanded the designation criteria for hazardous substances, particularly those with strong skin corrosivity. Under the revised criteria, skin corrosion classifications have been broadened from Category 1A to Category 1 (1A, 1B, and 1C). Based on reassessments, 75 substances with high hazard potential are newly proposed for designation as “human, etc. hazardous substances,” with unique identification numbers ranging from 2025-1-1281 to 2025-1-1355. These include substances meeting skin corrosion Categories 1A, 1B, and 1C. Sodium hypochlorite is additionally identified as an ecological hazardous substance. The draft also updates existing listings by adding Korean names and CAS numbers for certain substances and introduces grace periods to allow affected handlers time to comply with obligations under the Chemical Substances Control Act. Compliance deadlines range from January 1, 2027, to July 1, 2030, with extended timelines for sodium hypochlorite. The regulation is set to enter into force three months after promulgation, with a one-year delayed application for sodium hypochlorite. Public comments were invited until December 22, 2025.