News Details

From 1 July 2026, certain Group 1 biocidal products may remain on the South Korean market only if they have been approved or are covered by an applicable transitional provision.

The South Korean Ministry of Environment has issued guidance identifying the biocidal products that may continue to be sold and distributed under the Consumer Chemical Products and Biocides Safety Control Act, commonly referred to as K-BPR.

The approval grace period for the affected products ended in December 2025, followed by a six-month sell-through period ending in June 2026.

Products Covered

The guidance applies to:

• Disinfectants
• Insecticides
• Algaecides
• Rodenticides
• Repellents for moths, rice weevils and flying insects

Products That May Continue to Be Sold

Eligible products include:

• Approved biocidal products
• Safety-confirmed consumer chemical products subsequently approved as biocidal products
• Products covered by an extended product approval grace period until December 2026
• For certain disinfectants and insecticides, products whose active substance approval grace period has not yet expired

Products whose approval grace period ended in December 2025 and sell-through period ends in June 2026 may no longer be sold or distributed unless another transitional provision applies.

Recommended Actions

Manufacturers, importers and distributors should:

• Verify the approval status of each affected product
• Confirm whether a transitional grace period applies
• Stop supplying products that are no longer eligible
• Monitor updates to the official approval and evaluation lists

The product lists may change depending on the outcome of ongoing approval assessments.