CAS 71-43-2 · K-REACH · Republic of Korea

Benzene under K-REACH

C6H6 · 苯

Status: Registered. Benzene is registered under K-REACH and listed as a Priority Existing Chemical (PEC). Korean GHS classification matches REACH (Carc 1A + Muta 1B + STOT RE 1 + Asp. Tox. 1 + Flam. Liq. 2). **Benzene IS on Korea TCCA Toxic Chemicals list**: TCCA Toxic Chemicals Handling Permit at destination facility required (parallel layer to K-REACH chemical registration; mirror of phenol batch 13 + sulfuric acid batch 2 + formaldehyde batch 18). NOT on Korean Drug Management Act precursor list. NO active Korean AD/CVD case on Chinese-origin benzene. Korea has substantial domestic benzene production (LG Chem Yeosu, Hanwha Solutions Yeosu, Lotte Chemical Yeosu, GS Caltex Yeosu, S-Oil Onsan); structurally balanced. KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies for Chinese-origin imports.

K-REACH treats benzene 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 + formaldehyde batch 18 patterns). Korea has substantial domestic benzene production at Yeosu (LG Chem Yeosu, Hanwha Solutions Yeosu, Lotte Chemical Yeosu, GS Caltex Yeosu, S-Oil Onsan); structurally balanced. Korean BTX chain capacity is among world's largest. NO active Korean AD/CVD case. KCFTA preferential zero-duty supports Chinese-origin supplemental supply. Korean downstream consumers: Hyosung Chemicals (TDI / MDI via aniline / nitrobenzene), LG Chem (styrene chain → polystyrene + ABS), Lotte Chemical (cumene → phenol + acetone), Kumho Petrochemical (SBR / SBS via styrene). **Korean gasoline benzene cap**: 0.7 vol% from 2010. **Benzene distinguishing pattern across all 5 regimes**: most-hazardous BTX trio member (Carc 1A + Muta 1B + STOT RE 1 blood + IARC Group 1) + heaviest workplace + downstream + upstream compliance overhead in BTX trio + benzene-specific OSHA standard (US) + Annex XVII Restriction 5 + EU OEL transition to 0.66 mg/m³ April 2026 + China Highly Toxic Chemicals dual-permit + Korean TCCA.

Listing and threshold

Substance Benzene (CAS 71-43-2), C6H6
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: Flam. Liq. 2 (H225), Carc. 1A (H350), Muta. 1B (H340), STOT RE 1 (H372), Asp. Tox. 1 (H304), Skin Irrit. 2 (H315), Eye Irrit. 2 (H319)
  • Signal word: DANGER. GHS pictograms: GHS02 + GHS07 + GHS08
  • Korea Occupational Safety and Health Act (KOSHA) workplace exposure standard: 0.5 ppm 8-hr TWA, 2.5 ppm STEL
  • **Listed in Korea TCCA Toxic Chemicals list**
  • NOT on Korean Drug Management Act precursor list
  • Korean Customs Service (KCS) HS code: 290220
  • Listed in K-REACH database under "general industrial use, hazardous, toxic chemical, carcinogen Cat 1A"
  • **IARC: Group 1 (carcinogenic to humans)**

Restrictions and conditions of use

  • **TCCA Toxic Chemicals Handling Permit at destination facility required** (parallel layer to K-REACH chemical registration; mirror of phenol batch 13 + sulfuric acid batch 2 + formaldehyde batch 18)
  • 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 benzene currently
  • KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies to Chinese-origin benzene (HS 290220); verify producer-specific eligibility (Form CO certified by Chinese authority)
  • **Korean gasoline benzene cap**: 0.7 vol% from 2010 (Korean Petroleum and Petroleum Substitute Fuel Business Act + Ministry of Trade Industry and Energy guidance)

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; mirror of phenol batch 13 + sulfuric acid batch 2 + formaldehyde batch 18 patterns). Korea has substantial domestic benzene production at Yeosu (LG Chem Yeosu, Hanwha Solutions Yeosu, Lotte Chemical Yeosu, GS Caltex Yeosu, S-Oil Onsan); supplemental imports flow during plant outages. Korean downstream consumers: Hyosung Chemicals (TDI / MDI chain via aniline / nitrobenzene), LG Chem (styrene chain → polystyrene + ABS), Lotte Chemical (cumene → phenol + acetone chain), Kumho Petrochemical (SBR / SBS chain via styrene), Korea Petrochemical Industrial Complex (KPIC) Yeosu.

Required documents

  • K-REACH registration number on Korean side (registrant or OR-appointed)
  • Korean-language MSDS compliant with Korean GHS reflecting H225 / H304 / H315 / H319 / H340 / H350 / H372 classification
  • Korean Customs Service (KCS) declaration with HS code 290220
  • **TCCA Toxic Chemicals Handling Permit** at destination facility
  • China-Korea FTA Form CO certificate of origin for preferential treatment
  • Industrial-grade specification certificate (minimum 99.8% purity)

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 + formaldehyde batch 18 patterns)
  • Korea has substantial domestic benzene production at Yeosu (LG Chem, Hanwha Solutions, Lotte Chemical, GS Caltex) and Onsan (S-Oil); supplemental imports flow during plant outages
  • KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies but verify producer-specific eligibility
  • NO active Korean AD/CVD case on Chinese benzene currently
  • Korean BTX chain capacity is among world's largest; structural Korean lane reference price
  • Korean downstream consumers: Hyosung Chemicals (TDI / MDI via aniline / nitrobenzene), LG Chem (styrene chain → polystyrene + ABS), Lotte Chemical (cumene → phenol + acetone), Kumho Petrochemical (SBR / SBS via styrene)
  • **Korean gasoline benzene cap**: 0.7 vol% from 2010 (Petroleum and Petroleum Substitute Fuel Business Act)

Where to read next

For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for benzene, see the CAS 71-43-2 sourcing reference.

For grade-by-grade buying notes, freight maths, supplier-tier pricing, and a worked landed-cost example, the benzene 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

Referenced in

6 pages across the Sourzi moat

This term shows up in 4 regulatory pages, 1 topic clusters, 1 CAS profiles. Sample backlinks per content type below.

Regulatory (4)

Plus 1 more regulatory pages.

Topic cluster (1)

CAS (1)

Free download

Free PDF: the same MSDS verification template the Sourzi team uses to cross-reference factory documents against TSCA, REACH, AICIS, and CDR before booking.