Chemical Safety Agency of South Korea to Expand Scope of Safety Assessments for Hazardous Chemicals Handling Facilities

On June 17, 2024, the National Institute of Chemical Safety (NICS), an institution operating under the Ministry of Environment of South Korea, announced a proposed amendment to the Notice on Safety Assessment Criteria and Procedures (the National Institute of Chemical Safety Notice No. 2024-47) to revise the criteria for safety assessments of facilities that handle hazardous chemical substances.

In South Korea, facilities that handle hazardous chemicals are regulated by Standards for Placement, Installation, and Management (hereinafter “the Handling Standards”). The Notice enables facilities to be exempted from certain portion of Handling Standards if they undergo safety assessment and get approved. The proposed amendment expands the scope of facilities subject to the safety assessments as follows.