On 10 January 2025 the Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) issued an administrative notice opening a public consultation on draft revisions to 23 appliance safety standards. The revisions aim to align Korean appliance safety standards with international practice and improve product safety management.

The revisions are wide ranging and cover 23 important categories in the KC series, including the KC 60332 and KC 60745 series and other key appliance safety standards. The changes focus on three areas: updating technical requirements, with emphasis on improving product materials, structure and safety performance indicators; optimising and supplementing test methods so that assessment is more accurate; and adjusting the classification and scope of application for specific products so that the standards are better targeted.

An important goal of the revision is closer coordination with international electrical safety arrangements, including the requirements of the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade agreement (WTO/TBT) and the IEC System for Conformity Assessment Schemes for Electrotechnical Equipment and Components (IECEE). This will help Korean electrical products integrate better into international markets and give clearer guidance to foreign products entering Korea.

To ensure the revisions are sound and workable, KATS set up a comment period inviting interested parties to submit feedback to its telecommunications product safety department by 11 March 2025. The open and transparent process reflects the importance Korea attaches to stakeholder input in standard setting.