South Korea KC Certification

KC Certification (Korea Certification) is a Product Safety Certification system implemented by the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (kats) in accordance with the Electrical Appliance and Material Safety Management Act (Electrical Safety Act). The KC logo was implemented in 2009, integrating a variety of Korean certification marks (such as EK logo, K logo, etc.) into a single KC logo system. KC Certification is a mandatory entry requirement for Electronic and Electrical Products to enter the Korean market.

Products in the mandatory certification categories need to undergo Product Testing and factory inspection by a South Korea-designated third-party Certification Body. The Certificate Validity Period is 5 years, during which annual tracking audits are required. Products in the safety confirmation categories need to undergo designated Laboratory Tests, but no factory inspection is needed; the manufacturer can simply submit a safety confirmation report to KATS. For products in the SDo C categories, the manufacturer makes a Self-declaration of compliance with safety standards, and after designating an agent in South Korea, proceeds with record-filing to KATS.

South Korea's Ministry of Knowledge Economy (MKE) announced on August 25, 2008, that the National Standard Committee will implement a new unified national Certification Mark from July 2009 to December 2010, named the "KC Mark" logo.

The new logo is called KC Mark and represents Korea Certification. From July 1, 2009, South Korea unified the original EK mark into KC mark. Since the logo conversion did not affect the certification security standards, no changes need to be made to the original certificate. However, the original EK mark will only be used until June 30, 2011. After that, the logo on the product Nameplate must be converted to KC mark before it can be sold in South Korea. And the current 13 mandatory signs will eventually be unified under this new sign. As a result of this initiative, the supplier's spending on Certification Fee has been reduced, and KC Mark in Korea has gradually become a world brand certification. However, there is a disadvantage, the recently promulgated KCC logo will only be implemented for a few years, and will eventually be unified under this new KC logo.

According to the regulations of the "Korean electrical appliances safety Management Act", from January 1, 2009, electrical appliances Safety Certification is divided into two types: Compulsory Certification and voluntary certification.

3. Capacitors or filters as components for power supply unit

4. Installation Accessories and Connection Devices

12. Connect the power adapter or charger to the user's device (Appliance with Power Supply or Charger)

For different categories of products, the format and usage requirements of the KC mark are slightly different. For products in the Mandatory Certification category, the Certification Body code and certificate number must be marked next to the mark; for products in the Safety Confirmation category, the Safety Confirmation number must be marked next to the mark; for products in the SDo C category, only the KC mark is used, with no additional number required.

On the product nameplate, it is also required to mark the manufacturer name, Korean agent name and address, product model, rated parameters (220 V/60 Hz) etc. information. All labeling information should use Korean or English.

The KC Safety Test is conducted based on Korean KS standards. Core standards include KS C 60335-1 (household appliance safety), KS C 62368-1 (information technology equipment safety), KS C 60598-1 (luminaire safety), etc. These standards are basically consistent with IEC standards in technical content, but include Korean National Differences.

Critical Component List and Certification Certificates.

Differences between mandatory certification and safety confirmation. Mandatory certification requires factory inspection, the Certificate Validity Period is 5 years, and a follow-up audit is required every year. Safety confirmation does not require factory inspection, but every batch of products requires sample submission for testing. Choosing which types of Certification Mode depends on the product categories, and the manufacturer cannot choose independently.

The KC Certification requirements for Lithium Battery products are becoming increasingly strict. South Korea has specific Safety Requirements (KS C IEC 62133-2) for Lithium-ion Batteries and power banks, including overcharge, overdischarge, short circuit, thermal shock, crushing, and nail penetration tests. Battery products that fail to pass KC Certification must not be sold in the South Korean market.