South Korea proposes partial amendments to equipment efficiency management regulation 
South Korea’s Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (MCEE) issued a preliminary administrative notice of a proposed partial amendment to the Regulation on the Operation of Equipment Subject to Efficiency Management, inviting public comments from August 20 through September 8, 2026. The proposal would improve the equipment efficiency management scheme by revising the items to be checked during post-market inspections and making other changes, enhance the information provided to consumers by introducing QR code-based electronic labels (e-labels), and revise efficiency standards for 14 product categories, including electric refrigerators.
The Regulation on the Operation of Equipment Subject to Efficiency Management sets out the requirements for operating the energy efficiency grade labeling scheme under Articles 15 and 16 of the Energy Use Rationalization Act and other relevant provisions. The scheme is a mandatory declaration system designed to help consumers readily purchase energy-efficient products and encourage manufacturers and importers to produce and sell energy-saving products from the manufacturing and import stages. Specifically, the Regulation prescribes target energy efficiency or consumption standards; minimum energy efficiency or maximum consumption standards; labeling of energy efficiency or consumption; energy efficiency grading criteria and grade labeling; and methods for measuring energy efficiency or consumption.
“Equipment subject to efficiency management” means energy-using equipment that is supplied in large quantities and consumes substantial amounts of energy during use, and that is designated under Article 4 of the Regulation where the Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment deems such designation necessary to rationalize energy use.
Key proposed amendments
Improvements to the scheme, including revisions to post-market inspection items
- Proposed effective date: the date of amendment of the Public Notice
- Remove energy efficiency grades, for which no tolerance is allowed, from the items to be checked during post-market inspections involving measurements.
- Delete the effective dates of the medium- and long-term target energy efficiency standards for 9 product categories.
Improvements to the scheme, including the introduction of QR code-based e-labels
- Proposed effective dates: varying by product category
- Introduce a provision requiring the reporting of declared values to ensure consistency between the data reported and the data displayed on labels.
- Revise the information displayed on energy efficiency grade labels for each product category.
- Improve the design of energy efficiency grade labels, including by adding QR codes.
*Note: E-labels would not be introduced for adapters and chargers because of product size constraints.
Revisions to efficiency standards for 14 product categories, including electric refrigerators
- Proposed effective dates: varying by product category
- The product categories covered are electric refrigerators, kimchi refrigerators, television receivers, gas water heaters, three-phase induction motors, adapters and chargers, signage displays, refrigerated and frozen-food display cabinets, audio equipment, wired and wireless routers, microwave ovens, centrifugal blowers, small and medium-sized pumps, and LED lighting fixtures.
Reference
- Regulation on the Operation of Equipment Subject to Efficiency Management (MCEE Public Notice No. 2026-137):
https://www.law.go.kr/LSW//admRulLsInfoP.do?chrClsCd=&admRulSeq=2100000279914 - The original Korean-language notice is available on the Ministry of Government Legislation’s Public Participation Legislation Center website:
https://opinion.lawmaking.go.kr/gcom/admpp/47218?announceType=TYPE6&mappingAdmRulSeq=2000000329926&pageIndex=2&blockStartPage=1
