Timeliness Statement: This document is based on the latest April 2025 edition of the “Electrical and Electronic Product Safety Certification Catalog” issued by Korea's KATS (Korea Agency for Technology and Strategy) and the official announcement of 23 revised standards. Standard items and product scopes may undergo dynamic adjustments. It is recommended to verify the latest requirements through the KATS official website or authorized agencies before initiating certification.

Those engaged in cross-border electronics trade with Korea understand that the core of KC certification lies in “product-standard alignment”—correctly identifying the product category to match the appropriate testing standard. In 2025, Korea not only added new mandatory categories like AIoT devices and commercial wireless charging equipment but also revised 23 electrical safety standards. Many companies, lacking clarity on standard details, either face sample rejection or miss the transition period for old standards.

I.2025 Mandatory KC Certification Product List:

KATS categorizes mandatory certification products into “Basic Mandatory Testing Category,” " New High-Risk Categories,“ and ”Special Control Categories.“ Each category specifies KATS' internal product classification (HS codes can assist in lookup but cannot directly serve as certification basis). This marks a key departure from previous years—where ”experience-based judgment" could sometimes suffice—as misclassification this year will directly result in application rejection.

1.Basic Mandatory Inspection Category: Upgraded Standard Details for Existing Categories

These are KC certification “veterans,” but some standards tighten in 2025. Pay special attention to transition periods:

·Major Appliances: Refrigerators (KATS Item 01-01, corresponding HS codes 8418101000-8418210000), Washing Machines (01-02, HS 8450111000-8450200000)

Key Change: New “Standby Power Consumption Limit” (Refrigerators ≤0.5W/h). Products meeting old standards may continue until May 22, 2026. Last year, some clients overlooked the transition period, prematurely scrapping old inventory and incurring over 200,000 yuan in losses.

· Power Supply Equipment: Power adapters with output ≥100W (03-01, HS 8504409990)

Key Testing: New “voltage fluctuation adaptability” requirement (operates normally between 187V-253V). Previously tested only at 220V rated voltage; three companies have already reworked due to omitting this test this year.

2.New High-Risk Categories for 2025: First-Time Mandatory Inclusion

This is the most common pitfall this year. Many companies still prepare based on 2024 voluntary certification requirements, resulting in rejected applications:

· AIoT Smart Devices: Smart home appliances with WiFi/Bluetooth (e.g., connected rice cookers 01-05, HS 8516799000), industrial PLC control modules (08-02, HS 9032890000)

Reason for inclusion: 12 security incidents occurred in South Korea in 2024 where smart devices were hacked. Cybersecurity testing is now mandatory this year.

·Commercial Equipment Category: Commercial wireless charging devices (03-05, HS 8504409990), commercial displays (06-03, HS 9013803000)

Background: Frequent overheating incidents involving commercial wireless chargers in 2024 led to their urgent inclusion this year, with temperature rise tests set 5°C stricter than for household models.

3.Specially Controlled Category: Products Requiring Dual Certification

In addition to KC safety certification, these products must meet additional specialized standards. The scope of control will expand in 2025:

· Lithium Batteries and Energy Storage Equipment: Single-cell batteries (10-01, HS 8507600000), battery packs for energy storage power stations (10-02, HS 8507600000)

Standard Requirements: - Must fundamentally comply with KC 62133. - Per 2025 operational requirements from primary testing bodies (e.g., Blue Asia):   - Added “500-cycle lifespan test” (capacity retention ≥80%)   - Added “85°C high-temperature storage test”   Previous requirements: 300 cycles, 75°C.

·Wireless Communication Devices: 4G/5G-enabled smart terminals (07-01, HS 8517629000), Bluetooth speakers (07-03, HS 8518210000)

Dual Certification: Requires passing both KC Safety Certification and KCC RF Certification. This year, KCC added testing for the n78 frequency band. One smartphone brand delayed its launch by one month due to omitting this band's testing.

  II. Mandatory KC Certification Requirements by Product Category:

Among the 23 standards revised in the 2025 KATS, 5 directly impact mandatory certification products. Below is a breakdown by category, highlighting key revisions and commonly overlooked testing items:

1.AIoT Smart Devices: KN18031 Cybersecurity Standard Now Mandatory

All network-enabled mandatory certification products must pass KN18031 testing, introduced this year as a “deal-breaker requirement”:

· Vulnerability Testing: Simulates hacker attacks on remote control interfaces, e.g., password cracking tests for smart air conditioner apps. During testing for a client this year, we discovered their use of the weak password “123456”; rectification and retesting took one week.

·Data Encryption: User data transmission must use AES-256 encryption. Products previously using DES encryption all failed compliance this year.

·Firmware Update Security: New “integrity verification” requirements prevent malicious code injection. Two companies have already failed testing for lacking this feature.

Foundational security standards have also been upgraded:

·KN 60335-1: Insulation withstand voltage testing maintains 2500V, but leakage current limits tightened from 1mA to 0.75mA.

·KN 61000-6-3: EMC testing now includes “wireless band interference” to prevent WiFi signals from disrupting other appliances. One smart lamp required antenna redesign for two weeks due to excessive interference.

2.Industrial PLC Control Modules: Standard reference corrected to KN 61000-6-4

The previously miscited “KN 61558-2-11” actually pertains to small reactors for power supplies. PLC modules will correctly apply the KN 61000-6-4 industrial EMC standard starting in 2025, focusing on three key tests:

·Insulation resistance: ≥100MΩ at room temperature, ≥10MΩ in humid heat. One factory failed humid heat testing and passed only after applying moisture-proof coating to the module.

·Vibration resistance: 2 hours of vibration at 10-500Hz with normal functionality. This year, a customer's PLC module experienced loose interfaces after vibration due to unsecured casing, requiring three weeks for retooling.

·Electromagnetic Radiation Limits: Radiation intensity ≤54 dBμV/m in the 30MHz-1GHz band, exceeding civilian equipment standards by 10 dBμV/m.

3.Commercial Wireless Charging Devices: KN 62368-1 Specific Standard

As a new product category added in 2025, the corresponding KN 62368-1 standard imposes stricter requirements than the household version:

·Temperature rise test: Coil surface temperature ≤60°C (household models ≤65°C). One commercial charging pad brand failed due to substandard coils causing 72°C temperature rise, passing only after coil replacement.

·Foreign object detection: 5mm steel ball simulates obstruction; power must cut within 0.5 seconds. Products with slower response fail outright.

·Energy Efficiency Rating: Level 6 (conversion efficiency ≥85%). The previous Level 5 (≥80%) is no longer sufficient. One company optimized its charging chip circuitry due to non-compliance.

4.Lithium Batteries and Energy Storage Equipment: KC 62133 Practical Upgrade

Although the KC 62133 standard number remains unchanged, testing details for 2025 have been adjusted:

·Cycle Life Test: 500 charge/discharge cycles at 0.5C under 25°C conditions, with capacity retention ≥80%. Previously tested at 300 cycles. One energy storage company switched to high-nickel cells due to insufficient battery cycle life.

·High-Temperature Storage Test: 7 days at 85°C with no leakage or swelling. Previously tested at 75°C. One battery manufacturer added insulation layers to pass.

·Additional energy storage battery requirement: Overcharge protection test. Automatic power cutoff when charging voltage reaches 1.2 times rated value to prevent fire risks.

  III. 2025 KC Certification Acceleration Plan:

In addition to previously mentioned tools, two new officially recognized acceleration techniques and a standard revision query method are added:

1.CB Report Conversion to KC: Save up to 50% testing time

·Applicable scenarios: Products with existing CB certification (e.g., major appliances, power adapters).

·Practical Process: Submit CB report + variance test application to agencies like Blue Asia. Exempt from basic safety tests; only test Korea-specific items (e.g., voltage fluctuation, cybersecurity).

Note: CB report must be valid within 1 year and cover all tests required for KC certification.

2.Query 23 Standard Revisions: Avoid Using Incorrect Versions

·Query Channel: KATS official website “Standard Revision Announcements” section (updated monthly). Search by product category to view applicable standard versions and transition periods.

Key Information: Among the 23 revised standards, 15 allow continued use of old versions until May 22, 2026. Eight standards (e.g., KN18031 for AIoT devices) require immediate implementation. A smart lock manufacturer failed certification after testing with outdated standards due to missing the announcement.

  IV. Three Critical Recommendations for Cross-Border Enterprises:

1.Optimize Transition Periods: Among the 23 revised standards, 15 offer a one-year transition period (until May 2026). Existing products may be certified under old standards to avoid premature inventory obsolescence. However, newly added product categories like AIoT devices and commercial wireless charging equipment must immediately adopt the new standards.

2. Perform “Double Verification” Before Submission: First confirm the KATS product classification, then have the testing agency engineer verify the standard number to avoid the dual pitfalls of “wrong classification” and “wrong standard.” This year, a client who performed double verification passed certification on the first attempt, beating competitors by two weeks.

3.Monitor KCC Updates: For wireless-enabled products, alongside KC certification, closely track KCC frequency band testing requirements (e.g., 5G's n78 band). Allocate testing time in advance to prevent last-minute delays.

The real challenge for 2025 KC certification lies not in stricter standards but in intricate details—item classification, standard versions, transition periods, and CB conversion techniques all offer optimization opportunities. For specific product queries (e.g., whether smart plugs require cybersecurity testing), contact Blue Asia Technology at +86 13534225140 for professional certification consulting.