Reference source : EcoLife (Green Nuri), Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, Republic of Korea.
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.