For Wi-Fi device manufacturers planning to enter the South Korean market, the certification environment has undergone several key changes in 2025. Although the Wi-Fi Alliance certification standards themselves are globally unified, the South Korean market has launched a series of new regulations in terms of regulatory adoption, testing implementation, and emerging technology integration this year, directly affecting product certification strategies and launch timelines.
First, it should be clarified that "South Korea Wi-Fi Alliance Certification" is not an independent certification system. It refers to the "Wi-Fi CERTIFIED" certification requirements formulated by the global Wi-Fi Alliance that products need to meet to enter the South Korean market. At the same time, devices must also comply with South Korea’s local mandatory regulatory certification (such as MIC Certification, formerly KCC Certification). The new changes in 2025 are centered around the specific implementation and application of these global standards in South Korea.
Three Key New Regulations and Their Impacts in 2025
The following are several core new regulations that you must pay attention to, which took effect or were announced this year:
1.New Certification Testing Regulations for the 6GHz Band: Clear Timelines and Technical RequirementsThis new regulation is one of the most urgent changes this year. The Wi-Fi Alliance announced that all devices supporting Wi-Fi 6/6E and operating in the 6GHz band must implement additional compatibility testing items when applying for certification.
·Key Time Points: The new testing was launched on October 1, 2025, and will be mandatory for passing on January 1, 2026. This means that it is currently in the transition period, and initiating testing as soon as possible can reserve sufficient optimization time.
·Core Testing Content: The new regulations focus on ensuring that devices can correctly identify and comply with spectrum usage rules in different countries and regions. For example, devices must be able to correctly broadcast and receive "regulatory information" and distinguish between "Low-Power Indoor (LPI) Only" and other operating modes to prevent unauthorized spectrum usage. For manufacturers planning to launch Wi-Fi 6E/7 routers and terminals in South Korea, this testing is a necessary prerequisite for obtaining the "Wi-Fi CERTIFIED" logo.
2.Launch of "Wi-Fi for Matter" Certification: Interoperability Passport for Smart HomesIn September 2025, the Wi-Fi Alliance officially launched the "Wi-Fi for Matter" certification, which is regarded as a key initiative to break through smart home interoperability.
·Certification Purpose: This certification is not a brand-new standard, but integrates multiple existing functional requirements such as Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 6, WPA3 security, and Extended Sleep into a dedicated certification package. Its core goal is to ensure that Wi-Fi access points can provide a stable, low-power, and secure connection foundation for smart home devices based on the Matter protocol (especially battery-powered devices).
·Impact on the South Korean Market: South Korea has a high penetration rate of smart homes. If your product is a Wi-Fi router, gateway, or repeater and aims to be labeled as "Matter-compatible" or serve as the core of a smart home ecosystem, obtaining this certification will become an important market competitiveness. It simplifies the process of obtaining full Matter certification later and helps accelerate product launch.
3.Enhanced Local Testing Capabilities in South Korea: Certification Convenience and Cost OptimizationA significant geographical convenience change is that South Korea’s authoritative testing institution—the Telecommunications Technology Association (TTA)—officially became an authorized Wi-Fi Alliance testing laboratory in September 2025.
·Direct Impact: Before this, South Korean enterprises or products targeting the South Korean market usually had to send prototypes to overseas authorized laboratories for Wi-Fi Alliance certification testing. After TTA obtained authorization, manufacturers can complete certification testing locally in South Korea.
·Advantages: This is expected to significantly reduce reliance on foreign laboratories, shorten logistics and time costs, and provide more convenient technical communication. For products that have already undergone MIC certification testing in South Korea, it may be possible to better coordinate testing arrangements and improve overall certification efficiency.
Market Access Path and Action Recommendations under the New Regulations
Faced with these changes, the path for planning to enter the South Korean market should also be adjusted accordingly:
1.Dual Certification, Indispensable: Always remember that products need to meet both industry-standard Wi-Fi Alliance Certification (to ensure compatibility and security) and legally mandatory South Korea MIC Certification (to ensure RF compliance, i.e., KCC Certification). The two certifications are independent but must be held simultaneously.
2.Pay Attention to the Linked Update of South Korea’s Local Regulations: South Korea’s radio regulations (MIC certification requirements) are also continuously being upgraded. For example, South Korea’s National Radio Research Agency (RRA) has aligned the Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) testing standards for wireless devices with the latest international specifications in 2025, with the new standards enforced on December 1, 2025. This means that while meeting the Wi-Fi Alliance’s global testing requirements, your product’s hardware design must also comply with South Korea’s updated EMC and other standards.
3.Step-by-Step Planning Recommendations:
·Step 1: Clarify product positioning. Determine whether your product involves the 6GHz band or is positioned as a smart home network infrastructure. This will directly determine which of the above new regulations you need to focus on.
·Step 2: Integrate testing planning. Actively consider using local resources such as South Korea’s TTA laboratory for Wi-Fi Alliance certification testing, and consult professional institutions to explore the possibility of coordinating it with South Korea’s MIC certification testing to optimize overall time and costs.
·Step 3: Reserve transition period time. For the 6GHz new regulations, be sure to arrange certification testing as early as possible before the mandatory deadline of January 1, 2026, to address possible rectifications.
If you need a more in-depth analysis of the certification path for a specific type of Wi-Fi-certified product (such as a Wi-Fi 6E router or smart home gateway), BLUEASIA can provide more specific explanations. BLUEASIA (+86 13534225140) provides professional certification consulting services.
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