South Korea KATS KC 62133-2 Draft Amendment: New Rules for Lithium Batteries & Power Banks Exporting to Korea In August 2026, the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) released a draft amendment to KC 62133-2, Safety requirements for portable sealed secondary lithium cells and batteries, and issued a WTO notification (G/TBT/N/KOR/1378). The draft proposes restructuring the scope of application to "portable equipment" and adds whole-unit safety requirements for products such as power banks. This article sorts out key points and preparation recommendations directly relevant to exporting manufacturers.

Quick Overview of Core Points

▶ Status: Still a draft revision; official effective date not yet announced by Korean authorities ▶ Scope: Changed from enumerated product categories to unified definition of "portable equipment" (weight ≤18kg) ▶ Power Banks: KC 62368-1 will be applied alongside KC 62133-2 under the proposed dual-standard control ▶ Testing: Mandatory internal short-circuit test becomes a substantive requirement; self-inspection items revised

1. KC 62133-2 Draft Amendment

This revision is based on IEC 62133-2, with upgraded safety clauses incorporating South Korea’s local regulatory requirements. The timeline and status need to be clarified first:

1. Release: KATS Announcement No.2026-248, issued on 26 August 2026; WTO notification released in parallel, Notification No. G/TBT/N/KOR/1378
2. Public Comment Period: Domestic Korean comments closed on 16 September 2026; WTO comment period closes on 26 October 2026
3. Important Notice: This document remains a draft. KATS has not released the formal adoption date or effective date. All requirements shall be subject to official Korean announcements.

2. Restructured Scope of Application: Unified Definition of "Portable Equipment"

The draft abandons the previous classification of "handheld, transportable and mobile devices", adopting a unified definition of portable equipment: equipment weighing no more than 18 kilograms. Covered products include pedestal fans, robot vacuum cleaners, ambient lights, power banks, smartphones, tablets, laptops, power tools, remote-controlled vehicles and personal mobility devices.

Among personal mobility devices, electric bicycles and similar equipment with a maximum speed ≤25km/h are explicitly included. Inclusion is no longer determined by battery capacity.

Quick Reference for Scope Determination

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3. Power Banks: Proposed Dual-Standard Regulation

The draft defines "power bank-like devices": portable power units that charge via universal interfaces such as USB and supply power to electronic devices. Units that only supply power to one specific device are not classified under this category.

For these products, KC 62133-2 will continue to apply, while KC 62368-1 (Audio/video, information and communication technology equipment – Part 1: Safety requirements) is newly proposed as a mandatory parallel standard.

This means power banks will be regulated from two dimensions: battery safety plus end-product whole-unit safety. Manufacturers need to prepare test schemes for dual-standard compliance.

4. Other Revisions to Testing and Marking

1. Mandatory internal short-circuit test: The draft removes the previous "for reference only" clause for clause 7.3.9, upgrading the internal short-circuit test to a substantive pass/fail requirement.
2. Adjustment to self-inspection items: For high energy-density cells used in smartphones, laptops and tablets, the overcharge test in the self-inspection section is proposed to be replaced with crush testing, aligning with formal KC 62133-2 certification test requirements.
3. Marking and documentation: The draft clarifies and supplements warning statements on battery markings and accompanying information (new warnings against misuse). Terminology and definitions have also been consolidated. Korean language safety labelling is required for products exported to South Korea.

5. Action Items for Export Enterprises

1. Product classification screening: Judge whether your product falls under the new scope by two criteria: equipment weight ≤18kg AND battery rated energy <500Wh.
2. Power bank & similar products: Evaluate KC 62368-1 in advance and plan dual-standard testing schedules.
3. Pre-test assessment: Review test conditions and pass criteria for cell internal short-circuit, overcharge / crush tests, arrange supplementary testing where needed.
4. Marking & documentation review: Verify markings, user manuals, packaging and Korean warning text to avoid last-minute revisions after standard finalization.
5. Monitor final release & transition terms: The document is still a draft. Track KATS official announcements, transition arrangements and treatment for already-certified products, and reserve sufficient certification lead time.

⚠ Disclaimer: This article is based on the draft amendment published in August 2026. Formal adoption and effective dates have not yet been released. All requirements are subject to the final official KATS announcement and standard text. Draft content shall NOT be treated as current mandatory regulation.

Conclusion

The core of KC 62133-2 revision is shifting the regulatory logic from "product-category-based control" to screening by equipment weight and battery energy, alongside imposing whole-unit safety standards on power banks. Lithium battery manufacturers exporting to South Korea are advised to complete self-classification assessment early to smoothly adapt to the finalized standard. If you need help confirming product applicability or planning testing and compliance documents, you may contact Energy Storage Testing for support on test requirement review and compliance roadmap setup.