On March 10, 2026, the National Institute of Chemical Safety (NICS) of South Korea issued Announcement No. 2026-3, announcing revisions to the Hazard Review Results of Chemical Substances (NICS Announcement No. 2025-30, issued on December 30, 2025), which took effect immediately.
These revisions, conducted in accordance with Article 21 of the Act on the Registration and Evaluation of Chemicals and Article 28 of its Enforcement Rules, aim to promptly publish the hazard review results for registered chemical substances and update information on substances that need to be disclosed due to reasons such as the expiration of data protection periods.
Previously, on January 30, 2026, NICS issued Announcement No. 2026-1 to seek public opinion on these revisions, with the comment period closing on February 19, 2026. The final revised content is consistent with the draft.
The specific revisions to the Hazard Review Results of Chemical Substances are as follows:
- Disclosure of Substances with Expired Protection Periods
In Schedule 1 (New Chemical Substances), the specific names and CAS numbers of 67 new chemical substances, previously confidential due to their statutory data protection period expiring in 2024, have been disclosed. Additionally, information for two substances requiring correction due to duplicate announcements has been published Inherent Number 2018-384, 2019-530).
- Addition of New Hazard Review Results
In Schedule 2 (Existing Chemical Substances), information on 56 substances that have completed hazard reviews has been added after entry Inherent Number 2025-714 (Inherent Number 2026-715 to 2026-770). Each entry specifies the unique number, chemical substance name, and CAS number, and announces its designation as a substance hazardous to humans, etc., specific classification and labeling, physicochemical properties, and detailed hazard data.
- Revision of Information on Existing Substances
Hazard information for five existing chemical substances listed in Schedule 2 (Inherent Number 2025-564, 2025-568, 2025-575, 2025-599, and 2025-603) has been updated and revised.
- Publication of the Completed Review List
As a standard procedure, the complete list of chemical substances that have undergone hazard reviews has been published, including key information such as their names (with CAS numbers), whether they are classified as hazardous to humans, and their main hazards.
Impact Advisory
Relevant companies should immediately check the published attached lists to verify whether the chemical substances they manufacture, import, or use are included and confirm their latest hazard classifications. If a substance is newly classified as hazardous or its classification has changed, companies must promptly update Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and product labels to ensure compliance with South Korean chemical management regulations.
