South Korea Updates Safety Data Sheet Regulations: New Obligations and Legal Structure Effective August 7, 2025

On August 7, 2025, the Ministry of Employment and Labor issued Notification No. 2025-50 , which modifies the structure and criteria of Safety Data Sheets (SDS) in South Korea. Among the most significant changes are the introduction of new hazard categories, updates to classification and testing methods, and the requirement to include applicable laws in Section 15 in a specific order.

No. 2025-50 – What is the objective?

The purpose of this amendment is to align Korean regulations with international standards and the changes introduced by the Act on Registration and Evaluation of Chemical Substances (K-REACH), aiming to improve health and safety protection and ensure clarity in chemical product documentation management.

No. 2025-50 – What are the key changes?

Key updates include:

• The former single category of “Toxic Substances” is removed and replaced with three distinct categories: substances acutely hazardous to human health, substances chronically hazardous to human health, and substances hazardous to the environment.
• Technical criteria for mixture classification are updated, with detailed testing and evaluation methods provided.
• Criteria and descriptions for self-heating substances and oxidizing solids are revised.
• Classification criteria for mixturesare modified regarding acute toxicity, corrosivity, eye irritation, sensitization, mutagenicity, carcinogenicity, reproductive toxicity, specific organ toxicity, aspiration hazard, and environmental hazards.
• Section 15must explicitly include, in a specific order, the following laws: Industrial Safety and Health Act, Chemical Control Act, Act on Registration and Evaluation of Chemical Substances (K-REACH), Hazardous Materials Control Act, Waste Management Act, and other national and international regulations.

No. 2025-50 – Who is affected?

The update applies to manufacturers, importers, distributors, and industrial users of chemical products in South Korea, who must adapt their SDS to comply with the new legal and formatting requirements.

No. 2025-50 – Who oversees compliance?

The Ministry of Employment and Labor of South Korea is responsible for supervising proper implementation of the regulation.

No. 2025-50 – When does it take effect?

The reform takes effect on August 7, 2025. A grace period has been established until June 30, 2026, during which companies can adapt their SDS to the new requirements before compliance becomes mandatory.

At Siam we closely monitor every regulatory update to provide our clients with up-to-date tools and tailored technical advice for each market. Chemeter, our Safety Data Sheet (SDS) software, ensures your documents are always aligned with the latest legal requirements. Our commitment is to help you stay compliant without sacrificing efficiency or competitiveness.