Lotte Chemical to invest around US$7.68 billion in hydrogen and battery materials by 2030

The South Korean company Lotte Chemical is investing the equivalent of 7.68 billion US dollars in the hydrogen and battery materials business areas by 2030. In addition, the turnover in these sectors is to increase to 38.42 billion US dollars, of which 9.22 billion US dollars are to be invested in environmentally friendly business sectors. These figures and business plans were announced at the “Lotte Chemical 2022 CEO IR day” in Seoul at the end of March. Compressed gases and similar products must undergo KGS certification to be approved in Korea.     Lotte Chemical identified hydrogen, battery materials, recycling and bio-plastics as new growth drivers and therefore decided to invest about 8 billion US dollars until 2030. The largest part will be invested in hydrogen energy, followed by battery materials and, with a comparatively small amount, recycling and bio-plastics. For this purpose, the hydrogen energy and battery materials business units will be newly founded. The Hydrogen Energy Division is to secure the leading role in the entire value chain. This includes, among other things, the production, transport and distribution of hydrogen as well as securing the necessary supply of ammonia, which serves as a feedstock for hydrogen production. To this end, mainly so-called blue and green ammonia is to be imported from overseas by 2030, which will then be converted into a total of 1.2 million tonnes of hydrogen gas in Korea. Lotte Chemical is also promoting the expansion of the hydrogen filling station network as well as energy production with hydrogen by participating in corresponding joint ventures. In battery materials, Lotte Chemical expects sales of US$3.84 billion by 2030 and hopes to become a major player within the electric vehicle, battery and materials supply chain. To this end, Lotte Chemical, together with its subsidiaries Lotte Fine Chemical and Lotte Aluminium, is investing directly or indirectly in four key battery precursors. We offer certification services for all product areas, including KGS certification, KC EMC certification for electronic products and KCs certification for machinery, as well as KCs for explosion-proof products. We are at your disposal for all questions regarding Korea certifications. Feel free to contact us any time if you need assistance or have any questions: Tel. Europe: +49-69-271 37 69 261 Tel. US: +1 773 654-2673 Email: info@korea-certification.com Urgent questions? Please do not hesitate to contact us via chat. You will find the chat window at the bottom right of each page (if this is not visible, please check your browser settings). For more information you can download our free brochure “Korea Certification Made Easy – The Booklet“.  

More than 20 million OLED TVs shipped – Technology becomes standard for premium sets

TVs with OLED displays will account for about 40 percent of all premium sets sold this year, Pulsenews Korea reports. This makes the technology a standard for home flat-panel displays, reaching more than 20 million units shipped. The inventor of OLED displays, LG Electronics, is responsible for more than 60 percent of the shipments. According to market trackers Omnia in mid-May, a total of 20 million units have been sold since the introduction of OLEDs in 2013 through the end of March 2021. The speed at which OLED displays have conquered the market is remarkable. While the number of units shipped was still 10 million in September 2020, this figure has doubled in less than two years. Most electronic products and components must be awarded a KC certificate in order for the products to be exported to China or manufactured locally.     Among manufacturers, LG Display dominates the OLED TV market and is capable of producing up to 7.42 million units annually. This increase only became possible with this year’s startup of a new factory in Guangzhou, China. Previously, the plant in Paju, South Korea, shipped about 4 million units annually. Rival Samsung Display, which makes OLEDs using its own QD (Quantum Dot) technology, is estimated to ship more than 10 million units this year. Pulsenews reports 21 manufacturers worldwide in the market for OLED displays or TV sets and therefore assumes a further spread of this technology. KC certification for electronic products is a complex project that requires professional supervision at all stages. Feel free to contact us any time if you need assistance or have any questions regarding Korean certifications like KC, KC EMC, KCs, KCs for explosion safety products or KGS factory registration. Tel. Europe: +49-69-271 37 69 261 Tel. US: +1 773 654-2673 Email: info@korea-certification.com Urgent questions? Please do not hesitate to contact us via chat. You will find the chat window at the bottom right of each page (if this is not visible, please check your browser settings). For more information you can download our free brochure “Korea Certification Made Easy – The Booklet“.

Samsung and LG expand home appliances with features for pet owners

Korean companies Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics are looking to launch more home appliances with functions for pet owners. This is in response to the growing number of pet owners, the companies’ respective spokespeople said in early May. LG Electronics, for example, is offering a software upgrade for certain home appliances with new programs specifically for pet owners. Owners of LG’s Tromm, Mini and Wash Tower series washers and dryers can use the new programs to better clean clothes of stubborn stains, dirt or grass. In addition to the software upgrade, LG dryers can also be equipped with a filter for pet hair. Machines used in households often need a KC safety certification, in order to be approved for sale and use in Korea.     Samsung, in addition to washers and dryers, has also adapted vacuum cleaners and air filters specifically for pet owners. For example, the Cube Air air filter can remove pet hair and odors from the air. The brand’s robotic vacuum cleaners monitor pet behavior and send an alert to the owner in case of abnormalities. According to a spokesperson, Samsung plans to expand its products for customers with pets in the future. KC safety certification was established to ensure basic safety in the design and manufacture of machines used in households in Korea. The goal is to protect the health and safety of consumers by preventing accidents. We provide certification services for all product areas, including KC certification for consumer products and especially electronics, KC-EMV certification for electronic products, and KCs certification for machinery, as well as KCs for explosion-proof products. We are available to answer any questions you may have about Korea certifications. Feel free to contact us any time if you need assistance or have any questions regarding Korean certifications like KC, KC EMC, KCs, KCs for explosion safety products or KGS factory registration. Tel. Europe: +49-69-271 37 69 261 Tel. US: +1 773 654-2673 Email: info@korea-certification.com Urgent questions? Please do not hesitate to contact us via chat. You will find the chat window at the bottom right of each page (if this is not visible, please check your browser settings). For more information you can download our free brochure “Korea Certification Made Easy – The Booklet“.

Update of the “Special Law on the Safety of Children’s Products” in Korea

The “Special Act on the Safety of Children’s Products”, in short “Children’s Products Act”, is one of the most important South Korean regulations on the requirements for both locally manufactured and imported children’s products sold in the country. With the announcement of February 3, 2022, this law underwent some changes for the first time since 2016, which will take legal effect from August 4, 2022. Numerous products for children require KC certification in Korea.     The revision mainly deals with non-compliant products, for whom penalty descriptions used to be rather vague. A focus lies on products that fall under the so-called Safety Confirmation (Type 2) in Korea. This category currently includes, e.g., baby clothing, sports equipment and bicycles for children, highchairs, skateboards, and toys. Whenever manufacturers of KC certified products make incorrect statements when preparing test reports, untruthfully claim to be a “safety-friendly enterprise“, do not mark their products with the KC logo or apply the marking in a wrong way, the responsible Korean ministry may now demand rectification within six months (or less at its discretion) and suspend the existing certification of affected products for the corresponding period. Any marking of products with the KC logo is not permitted within this period. In the case of intentional untruthful statements from manufacturers, testing and certification institutions will further be instructed to begin re-certification of the affected products after no less than a one-year suspension period. An additional update faces the Korea Product Safety Management Agency, which will play a greater role in monitoring existing certifications in the future. It is to actively support the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the regional governments in the implementation of the relevant regulations. For this purpose, it may also impose the above-mentioned penalties on its own. Children’s products, i.e., products intended primarily for babies and children up to the age of 12, are subject to strict regulations in Korea. Many products require a KC certificate. Depending on the risk they pose to the age group, products fall into one of three certification categories, some of which require product tests or even a factory audit. Violations of the import and marking regulations are strictly punished by the authorities and may lead to fines or the loss of acquired certifications in the worst case. Feel free to contact us any time if you need assistance or have any questions regarding Korean certifications like KC, KC EMC, KCs, KCs for explosion safety products or KGS factory registration. Tel. Europe: +49-69-271 37 69 261 Tel. US: +1 773 654-2673 Email: info@korea-certification.com Urgent questions? Please do not hesitate to contact us via chat. You will find the chat window at the bottom right of each page (if this is not visible, please check your browser settings). For more information you can download our free brochure “Korea Certification Made Easy – The Booklet“.