According to the most recent requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) by the Ministry of Employment and Labor (MoEL), businesses in South Korea that produce or import classified hazardous chemicals must not only make sure that each chemical is accompanied by a Korean-language MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) that complies with national standards, but also complete the MSDS submission on time, as required by the recently amended Article 110 of the OSHA regulations.
To complete the online Korean MSDS submission and receive the officially given MSDS number, domestic businesses in South Korea (manufacturers, importers) can register and log into the MSDS system page on the KOSHA website. Businesses outside of South Korea are unable to submit MSDS directly; instead, they may designate an Only Representative (OR) in South Korea to do so.
The Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA) formally released a notification in late November 2025 noting that a number of serious problems were found when reviewing the previously submitted MSDS. Relevant businesses are required by the notification to make necessary modifications and submit again as soon as feasible. With this action, South Korea's MSDS compliance supervision enters a phase of substantial evaluation.
Important Due Dates and Present Situation
Deadline for resubmitting: January 16, 2026
As of right now, KOSHA advises businesses to proactively update and resubmit MSDS documentation. However, it is expected that this provision will become required once the grace period expires.
An overview of the main problems with MSDS submissions and documents
Information on the responsible party is missing: failing to specify who is in charge, such as the supplier, importer, or manufacturer.
Language that is not compliant: submission of MSDS in languages other than Korean, even though a Korean version is required by law.
Inadequate toxicological data partial or total lack of information in Section 11, "Toxicological Information."
Product names that are inconsistent: differences between the registration details in the Korea Chemicals Management System (KMS) and the product name in the MSDS.
Absence of supporting documentation for compliance: not submitting a chemical verification Letter of Compliance (LoC).
Possible Dangers and Reaction Techniques
In the past, there were no systematic review processes because the main focus was on finishing MSDS filings during the buffer period. Defective MSDS may result in more legal and compliance problems, requiring further attention as KOSHA intensifies its assessment efforts.
A thorough one-time correction is not practical due to the volume of MSDS documents that need to be revised. In order to ensure a compliant transition, it is advised to implement a priority management approach that focuses on documents with severe deficiencies. For products with serious issues that are no longer sold, consider applying for deregistration; for products that are still in circulation, implement a step-by-step correction and resubmission strategy.
