KC certification, or Korea Certification, is a product certification which ensures the conformity of products to Korean safety standards – called K Standards. The KC Certification (KC Mark Korea Certification) is a compulsory safety mark which applies to a range of products imported and sold/used in the Korean Market.
The KC Mark and the corresponding KC Certificate are similar to the European CE mark and are valid for 730 different products such as automotive parts, machines and many electronic products. This test mark confirms that the product meets the relevant Korean Safety Standard.
Consumer products which might be harmful to the health or safety of the consumer during their use or through their characteristics, or if they pose a pollution risk to the environment need to get a KC Mark certification.
Example of products which need a KC Korea Certificate for South Korea:
Other consumer goods that are required to have the KC Marc include automotive spare parts in the following categories
Many products that are intended for or used by children under the age of 13 fall under this category. Within the framework of a special regulation from 2015, the Special Children’s Product Safety Act, many products require a certification.
This includes the following products:
Most of the affected products require at least a KC Safety Confirmation (product tests, but no factory audit). However certain products, for which safety is a major design feature, do require a KC Safety certification, which includes an audit. One example would be child restraint systems. Textiles for children on the other hand usually only need a KC supplier confirmation.
Pharmaceutical, food and cosmetic products must be examined by the MFDS (Ministry of Food and Drug Safety) and must be accredited by it but are not subject to prior certification.
The Cosmetics Law and the Cosmetics Regulations govern Korea's regulations regarding cosmetic products.
To sell cosmetic products, a notification must be sent by the holder of the Marketing Authorization (MA), the importer of the product, to the Korean Pharmaceuticals Traders Association (KPTA).
The “Cosmetic Act” in force in Korea differentiates the registration and notification procedures according to the product category:
The following application documents are needed for the KC Mark Certification:
The KC certification application documents are reviewed after submitting. To obtain a KC Mark, it is essential that the products are tested for safety by an internationally recognized testing institute. The tests are performed in accordance with national and international standards.
If CB certificates and test reports according to IEC standards are available for the respective products, the certification and testing process can be simplified and shortened. However, an important requirement is that the CB certificate must include the Korean voltage of 220V (AC) / 60 Hz (for equipment).
In addition, manufacturers of safety products (Type 1) must undergo a factory inspection according to Korean specifications.
After receiving the KC certificate, type 1 KC certification continues to have regular follow-up audits and product testing.
Product tests are required in many cases for product certification for the Korean market to show compliance to Korean K Standards. For Type 1 KC certification, for example, product tests are mandatory for initial certification and also for subsequent follow-ups to maintain the certification status. At the end the manufacturer must be able to present the test reports performed on product safety, which are issued by internationally recognized testing laboratories.
There are three major certification bodies that are accredited and permitted to conduct product tests and audits and issue certificates:
If the product has been successfully certified for the South Korean market, the KC Mark certification label is required to be displayed on the product. Depending on the type of certification the KC logo should normally be marked in blue or gold together with the certificate number.
Additionally, it is usually required that certain product information, like model name, manufacturer, and rated voltage (for equipment), are marked on the label as well. The information must be in Korean, while English is optional.
For a KC certification that only requires product testing, the process can usually be completed within 3-4 months. This includes the preparation of the application documents, assuming that all required information is available.
Product testing itself takes 1-2 months, depending on how much coordination with the test lab for a specific product is required.
Moreover, under certain conditions the duration can be significantly shortened with the help of a CB certification, because in a best case scenario product tests do not have to be performed again.
For product categories that require a factory audit, the organization of the audit and preparations at the factory will take additional time.