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Testing Lab of Battery and Electric Vehicle ProductsGuangdong ESTL Technology co.,Ltd.
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Current location: Home > News > Certification news > Certification information
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Address: 2st floor, B Area, Jinbaisheng Industrial Park, Headquarters 2 Road, Songshan Lake Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone, Dongguan City, Guangdong Pr., China.
Editor:ESTL Category:Certification information Release time:2026-10-10 Click volume:1
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Lithium battery exports to Korea fall under mandatory market access control, administered by the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) under the Electrical Appliances and Consumer Products Safety Control Act. Without a valid KC certificate or confirmation declaration, products cannot clear customs or be listed for sale. This guide sets out the certification categories, applicable standards, test items, Korea-specific requirements and application process, together with the 2026 KC 62133-2 amendment updates, to help battery manufacturers clarify their route to the Korean market.
Korea's mandatory product safety market access regime, which covers battery products
KC (Korea Certification) is Korea's product safety market access regime implemented under the Electrical Appliances and Consumer Products Safety Control Act and administered by the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS). Lithium batteries, products containing lithium batteries, and associated chargers all fall within the scope of KC control. Products without the corresponding certificate or confirmation declaration cannot clear customs or be listed for sale in Korea, and may be subject to detention, return or recall.
KC standards correspond closely to IEC standards (for example, KC 62133-2 to IEC 62133-2 and KC 62619 to IEC 62619), which provides a smoother route for companies that already hold CB certificates. KC is not, however, a simple extension of the CB Scheme: Korea has independent requirements for certification unit division, recognition of key components, the location of EMC and wireless testing, and label language, as detailed below.
CE, UL and UN 38.3 documents are compliance or transport safety evidence for other markets and cannot replace KC certification. UN 38.3 in particular is a pre-shipment document for air and sea transport and is a separate matter from Korean market access. Before exporting to Korea, it is advisable to confirm the product's KC management category and applicable standards first.
Three management routes: Safety Certification, Safety Confirmation and Supplier's Declaration of Conformity
| Category | Applicable Cases | Factory Inspection | Certificate and Surveillance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Safety Certification | Comparatively higher-risk products, such as large-capacity, high-energy-density batteries; subject to the certification body's assessment | Factory inspection required for initial certification, with periodic annual factory inspections thereafter | Valid 5 years; annual surveillance (including factory inspection and sampling) |
| Safety Confirmation | The vast majority of consumer lithium batteries and battery packs | Factory inspection generally not required | Valid 5 years; surveillance and maintenance during the period |
| Supplier's Declaration of Conformity | A self-declaration route for certain lower-risk categories | None | Declared by the supplier, who is responsible for conformity |
Classification directly affects the testing workload, factory inspection arrangements and ongoing maintenance costs. The same product may fall into different categories depending on capacity, energy density and application scenario. It is advisable to confirm the classification conclusion with the certification body before the project starts, and to plan testing and factory inspection accordingly.
Centred on KC 62133-2 and KC 62619, matched to product form
| Standard | Applicable Products | Correspondence and Notes |
|---|---|---|
| KC 62133-2 | Portable sealed lithium secondary cells and batteries: lithium batteries used in mobile phones, notebooks, power banks, power tools, digital products, e-scooters, etc. | Corresponds to IEC 62133-2 and is the most commonly used standard for consumer lithium batteries entering the Korean market; cells and battery packs are usually tested separately. |
| KC 62619 | Industrial lithium secondary cells and battery systems, such as energy storage battery systems and batteries for industrial equipment | Corresponds to IEC 62619; often involved in energy storage and industrial applications. |
| KC EMC | Battery packs or power banks incorporating BMS, charging management, DC-DC, wireless charging or similar electronic circuits | Assessed for need according to product function; testing must be carried out at a laboratory recognised in Korea. |
| KC Wireless Certification | Products with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, or wireless charging transmit/receive functions | Administered by the National Radio Research Agency (RRA), applied for separately from KC safety certification. |
Using KC 62133-2 as an example: cells and battery packs are assessed separately
Continuous low-rate charging, external short circuit (including in a high-temperature environment), thermal abuse, crushing, mechanical shock, vibration, temperature cycling, forced discharge and forced internal short circuit, among others; the core acceptance criterion is the absence of fire or explosion.
External short-circuit protection, overcharge protection, forced-discharge protection, reverse-charge protection, enclosure heating (moulded stress), insulation resistance and drop, among others; the focus is on the reliability of protection circuit operation and structural safety.
If the cells already hold a KC certificate, some testing at the battery assembly stage can be simplified, usually focusing on pack-level safety items. If the cells do not hold a KC certificate, both cells and battery pack must be tested to the standard.
Assessed to KC 62619, covering cell and system overcharge, over-discharge, external short circuit, thermal runaway propagation and BMS functional safety, among others; the specific combination is subject to the certification body's plan.
These points most often affect timelines and should be checked in advance
Korea's forced internal short-circuit test applies stress by means of a compression block, which differs from the commonly used IEC method. It is sensitive to the condition of the electrode coating edge and to separator tolerance, and is among the more likely items to fail in cell testing.
Product labels and instructions must be in Korean, covering product name, model, rated voltage or capacity, manufacturer, importer, date of manufacture or batch number, the KC mark and certificate number.
KC EMC and KC wireless (RF) testing must be completed at a laboratory recognised in Korea and generally cannot be replaced directly by overseas reports; this is a notable difference between the KC system and the CB system.
Overseas manufacturers usually need an authorised representative or importer in Korea to act as applicant or certificate holder. The importer must retain the certificate and test reports, and the applicant information must be verified as consistent with the factory information.
Choose direct application or CB to KC according to existing documentation
Clarify whether the declaration covers cells or battery packs, the cell chemistry and the end application, and determine the applicable standards (KC 62133-2, KC 62619, etc.) together with associated EMC and wireless requirements.
Appoint a Korean entity as applicant or certificate holder and submit the application to a recognised Korean body such as KTL, KTC or KTR.
Application form, business licence, letter of authorisation, Korean instructions, specification sheet, circuit schematic, PCB layout, BOM, key component certificates, cell specification, label artwork and samples, among others.
Complete cell and battery pack testing to the applicable standards; products with EMC or wireless functions are scheduled for the corresponding testing separately.
Products under Safety Certification must undergo an initial factory inspection; Safety Confirmation products generally do not require one.
Upon approval, the KC certificate or confirmation declaration is obtained; the product may then carry the KC mark with the certificate number and be launched on the market.
| Route | Prerequisites | Scope of Work and Points to Note |
|---|---|---|
| CB to KC | An IEC 62133 CB certificate and report already held | Supplementary testing of Korea-specific differences after assessment, without retesting everything. Points to note: the factory name and address on the CB certificate must match the KC applicant; the CB report must cover the models applied for under KC; key components subject to KC control must be tested to IEC standards or already hold KC certification; KC certification units must be divided separately under Korean regulations and cannot simply follow the CB series models. |
| Direct Sample Application | No CB certificate yet, or the product is outside CB coverage | Full testing to KC standards, generally requiring more samples and a comparatively longer overall cycle; suitable for newly developed products or a plan covering multiple models at once. |
Use of the mark and label content must comply with Korean rules
KC 62133-2 proposed for revision and public comment; early impact assessment recommended
According to public information, Korea has notified, through the WTO, a proposed revision to KC 62133-2. The main directions include: unifying the scope description as "portable devices" with a defined weight limit; adding a definition for devices similar to power banks; and setting out clearer and stricter requirements for the conduct of the forced internal short-circuit test. The deadline for comments is 26 October 2026.
Whether it is consulting on KC 62133-2 or KC 62619 projects, assessing CB to KC differences and supplementary testing, or preparing Korean labels and documentation, we can provide the corresponding technical support and testing services. Feel free to get in touch and discuss your specific product.
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