Korea Adopts Hazard Assessment Results of 223 Chemicals

Based on the partial amendments to chemical hazard assessment results: - 79 assessed chemicals are expected to be designated as substances acutely hazardous to human health; - 1 assessed chemical is expected to be designated as a substance chronically hazardous to human health; - 2 assessed chemicals are expected to be designated as substances hazardous to the environment; - 2 assessed chemicals are expected to be designated as substances acutely/chronically hazardous to human health and substances hazardous to the environment.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published in November 2025 to analyze the proposed updates to Chemical Assessment Regulsts, and was updated on 30 December 2025 to introduce the finalized updates.

By NICS Announcement No.2025-30 issued on December 30, 2025, the NICS made public the updates to chemcial hazard assessment results of certain new and existing chemical substances registered under K-REACH. The updates are consistent with those proposed in November. They take effect immediately.

Previous article issued on November 10, 2025:
On November 10, 2025, South Korea’s National Institute of Chemical Safety (NICS) opened a public consultation on the proposed updates to the hazard assessment results of new and existing chemical substances registered under K-REACH. Comments are welcome before December 1, 2025.
Background
According to Annex 1 to the K-REACH Enforcement Decree, the criterion of skin corrosion for designation of 'substances acutely hazardous to human health' has been adjusted from "Skin corrosion Category 1A" to "Skin corrosion Category 1A, 1B, 1C". The new criterion took effect on August 7, 2025. Taking this into consideration, the NICS plans to update the hazard assessment results of 100 previously assessed new and existing chemical substances. Meanwhile, the NICS is soliciting public comments on the hazard assessment results of new and existing chemicals registered under K-REACH this year.
Proposed Updates to Annex 1 – New Chemical Substances Hazard Assessment Results
To add hazard assessment results of 43 new chemical substances (Given No. 2025-46 ~ 2025-88) registered under K-REACH during April to July this year, of which one new chemical substance (CAS No. 2446466-96-0) is found hazardous to the environment and one new chemical substance (CAS No. 153217-57-3) is found to be acutely hazardous to human health.
To update the hazard information of 23 new chemical substances previously listed in Annex 1 based on new criteria.
To update the classification information on 56 new chemical substances that shall be classified as "Substances acutely hazardous to human health" as they meet the criterion "Skin corrosion 1B or 1C".
Proposed Updates to Annex 2 – Existing Chemical Substances Hazard Assessment Results
To add hazard assessment results of 80 existing chemical substances (Given No. 2025-653 ~ 2025-714) registered under K-REACH during January to May this year, of which
- three existing chemical substances (CAS No. 108-99-6; 114435-02-8; 111-76-2) are found acutely hazardous to human health,
- one existing chemical substance (CAS No. 7440-02-0) is found chronically hazardous to human health,
- one existing chemical substance (CAS No. 68439-50-9) is found hazardous to the environment, and
- two existing chemical substances (CAS No. 27193-86-8; 121158-58-5) are found acutely hazardous to human health, chronically hazardous to human health and hazardous to the environment.
To correct typo mistakes about hazard information of 2 existing chemical substances previously listed in Annex 2.
To update the classification information on 19 existing chemical substances that shall be classified as "Substances acutely hazardous to human health" as they meet the criterion "Skin corrosion 1B or 1C".
These registered and assessed substances were issued with English names, CAS No., corresponding hazards, classification and labeling information, and a determination of whether they are "acutely hazardous to human health", "chronically hazardous to human health", and/or "hazardous to the environment". For those chemicals with a determination of their hazard type, if adopted, they will be designated and included in the List of Substances Acutely Hazardous to Human Health, Substances Chronically Hazardous to Human Health, and Substances Hazardous to the Environment.
The last updates to the Chemical Hazard Assessment Results were made on September 12, 2025 (read more).