CAS 50-00-0 · K-REACH · Republic of Korea

Formaldehyde under K-REACH

CH2O · 甲醛

Status: Registered. Formaldehyde is registered under K-REACH and listed as a Priority Existing Chemical (PEC). Korean GHS classification matches REACH (Carc 1B + Muta 2 + Acute Tox. 3 + Skin Corr. 1B + Skin Sens 1). **Formaldehyde IS on Korea TCCA Toxic Chemicals list** (heavier than caprolactam batch 14 + KOH batch 17 + sodium chloride batch 16): TCCA Toxic Chemicals Handling Permit at destination facility required (parallel layer to K-REACH chemical registration; same pattern as phenol batch 13 + sulfuric acid batch 2). NOT on Korean Drug Management Act precursor list. NO active Korean AD/CVD case on Chinese-origin formaldehyde. Korea has substantial domestic formaldehyde production (Korean Chemical Yeosu, Hyosung Chemical Yongin, Songwon Industrial Yeosu); structurally balanced or modestly net-importer. KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies for Chinese-origin imports.

K-REACH treats formaldehyde as a routine PEC-registered substance but **TCCA Toxic Chemicals Handling Permit at destination facility is the dominant practitioner overhead** (parallel layer with K-REACH; mirror of phenol batch 13 + sulfuric acid batch 2 patterns). Korea has substantial domestic formaldehyde production at Yeosu (Korean Chemical Yeosu, Hyosung Chemical Yongin, Songwon Industrial Yeosu); supplemental imports flow during plant outages. Korean downstream consumers dominated by automotive interior + laminate flooring + consumer products industries. **Korea Indoor Air Quality Management Act + KS F 3201 wood-panel emission limits** drive demand for low-emission formaldehyde-resin grades; converging with EU Annex XVII Restriction 77 (effective August 2026) + US TSCA Section 6 risk-management rule (expected 2026-2027) trajectory. NO active Korean AD/CVD case. KCFTA preferential zero-duty supports Chinese-origin supplemental supply. **Formaldehyde distinguishing pattern across all 5 regimes**: heaviest regulatory burden in the dataset by hazard classification (Carc 1B + Muta 2 + Acute Tox. 3 + Skin Sens 1 + IARC Group 1); converging EU + US + Australian + Korean regulatory tightening in 2026-2027 window driving low-emission grade premium.

Listing and threshold

Substance Formaldehyde (CAS 50-00-0), CH2O
Regime Korea Act on the Registration and Evaluation of Chemicals (Act No. 11789, "K-REACH" amended 2018)
Jurisdiction Republic of Korea
Status Registered
Tonnage threshold K-REACH registration required for existing chemicals manufactured or imported >1 tonne/year (verified per Korean Ministry of Environment / NIER guidance, https://chemical.chemlinked.com/chempedia/k-reach; threshold for new substances was reduced from 0.1 t/y to 1 t/y effective 1 January 2025 per K-REACH 2025 amendment)

Classifications under this regime

  • Korean GHS classification: Carc. 1B (H350), Muta. 2 (H341), Acute Tox. 3 oral / dermal / inhalation (H301 / H311 / H331), Skin Corr. 1B (H314), Eye Dam. 1 (H318), Skin Sens. 1 (H317), STOT SE 3 (H335)
  • Signal word: DANGER. GHS pictograms: GHS05 + GHS06 + GHS08
  • Korea Occupational Safety and Health Act (KOSHA) workplace exposure standard: 0.5 ppm 8-hr TWA, 1 ppm STEL
  • **Listed in Korea TCCA Toxic Chemicals list**
  • NOT on Korean Drug Management Act precursor list
  • Korean Customs Service (KCS) HS code: 291211 (formaldehyde 37% solution)
  • Listed in K-REACH database under "general industrial use, hazardous, toxic chemical"
  • **IARC Group 1 (carcinogenic to humans)**
  • KS Korean Standard for indoor air formaldehyde emission: KS M ISO 16000-3 measurement, KS F 3201 wood-panel emission limits

Restrictions and conditions of use

  • **TCCA Toxic Chemicals Handling Permit at destination facility required** (parallel layer to K-REACH chemical registration; same pattern as phenol batch 13 + sulfuric acid batch 2)
  • Chemical Accident Prevention Plan (CAPP) may be required at handling facilities above declared thresholds
  • Korea Industrial Safety and Health Act (KOSHA) MSDS in Korean required at workplace
  • Korea Customs Service requires K-REACH registration number on import declaration
  • NO active Korean AD/CVD case on Chinese-origin formaldehyde currently
  • KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies to Chinese-origin formaldehyde (HS 291211); verify producer-specific eligibility (Form CO certified by Chinese authority)
  • Korea Indoor Air Quality Management Act applies for downstream wood-panel + furniture + MDF / particleboard manufacturers; KS F 3201 wood-panel emission limits

Importer obligations

The Korean importer of record must hold K-REACH registration in their own name or rely on an Only Representative (OR). **TCCA Toxic Chemicals Handling Permit at destination facility is the dominant practitioner-facing overhead** (parallel layer to K-REACH chemical registration; same pattern as phenol batch 13 + sulfuric acid batch 2). Korea has substantial domestic formaldehyde production at Yeosu (Korean Chemical Yeosu, Hyosung Chemical Yongin, Songwon Industrial Yeosu); supplemental imports flow during plant outages and grade-specific applications (low-emission formaldehyde-resin grades for premium wood-panel + furniture downstream). Korean downstream consumers: Hyundai Mobis (interior automotive), Hyundai L&C (laminate flooring), LG H&H (consumer products). **Korea Indoor Air Quality Management Act + KS F 3201 wood-panel emission limits** drive premium-grade demand.

Required documents

  • K-REACH registration number on Korean side (registrant or OR-appointed)
  • Korean-language MSDS compliant with Korean GHS reflecting H301 / H311 / H314 / H317 / H318 / H331 / H335 / H341 / H350 classification
  • Korean Customs Service (KCS) declaration with HS code 291211
  • **TCCA Toxic Chemicals Handling Permit** at destination facility
  • China-Korea FTA Form CO certificate of origin for preferential treatment
  • Industrial-grade specification certificate (minimum 37% formaldehyde content)
  • KS F 3201 emission-limit conformity declaration for downstream wood-panel exports

Common compliance traps

The pitfalls that have bitten importers on this lane in the past. None of these is theoretical.

  • Korean GHS hazard-statement codes use H-codes mapped to Korean translations; SDS in English-only is rejected at workplace inspection
  • **TCCA Toxic Chemicals Handling Permit at destination facility is the dominant practitioner overhead** (parallel layer with K-REACH; mirror of phenol batch 13 + sulfuric acid batch 2 patterns)
  • Korea has substantial domestic formaldehyde production at Yeosu (Korean Chemical Yeosu, Hyosung Chemical Yongin, Songwon Industrial Yeosu); supplemental imports flow during plant outages
  • Korean downstream consumers are dominated by automotive interior + laminate flooring + consumer products industries: Hyundai Mobis (interior automotive), Hyundai L&C (laminate flooring), LG H&H (consumer products), Samsung Wood Industries
  • KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies but verify producer-specific eligibility (Form CO certified by Chinese authority)
  • No active Korean AD/CVD case on Chinese formaldehyde currently
  • **Korea Indoor Air Quality Management Act + KS F 3201 wood-panel emission limits** drive demand for low-emission formaldehyde-resin grades; converging with EU Annex XVII Restriction 77 + US TSCA Section 6 risk-management trajectory
  • Korean BEV / interior-automotive growth drives substantial captive low-emission formaldehyde-resin demand

Where to read next

For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for formaldehyde, see the CAS 50-00-0 sourcing reference.

For grade-by-grade buying notes, freight maths, supplier-tier pricing, and a worked landed-cost example, the formaldehyde cornerstone hub covers the full sourcing chain.

For the structure and history of K-REACH, see the K-REACH glossary entry.

Need cross-jurisdiction compliance support on this substance? Run it through the REACH / TSCA / IECSC / AICIS / K-REACH checker, or send us the substance and the destination and we will quote FOB China and CIF / DDP landed including the regulatory work on the destination side.

Read next

Cross-jurisdiction profile and sourcing references

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