South Korea reduces import tariffs on certain products to fight inflation

The South Korean government reduced import tariffs on 26 key industrial products this year, including liquefied natural gas (LNG). The Ministry of Economy and Finance justified the decision by citing rising inflation in the country and hopes the move will slow price increases. In July, duty-free import volumes were set for certain product groups, while others are completely exempt from import duties for an indefinite period. For example, unlimited quantities of ethanol feedstocks would be allowed to be imported. Liquefied gases and their transport containers in many cases require certification by KGS to be approved for import and use in Korea.     Earlier this year, the government suspended import duties on liquefied natural gas (LNG) indefinitely. The expansion of the product list for duty-free imports came about the same time South Korea made headlines for its rising inflation. This was due to continued disrupted global supply chains and ongoing geopolitical tensions in Europe. As a result, consumer prices in South Korea rose six percent in June from a year earlier, marking the highest increase in nearly 24 years. The Korea Gas Safety Corporation (KGS) is a government organization under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE). Gas safety regulations in Korea began in 1974 with the passage of the Compressed Gas Control Act. In 1995, the Institute of High Pressure Gas Safety was established, and after several restructurings, the Korea Gas Safety Corporation (KGS) was established in 2001. One year later, KGS was affiliated with MOTIE. KGS was accredited as a Korean designated testing body in 2006 and was also accredited to perform KCs certification and testing of explosion-proof electrical equipment. We offer certification services for all product areas, including KC certification for consumer products and especially electronics, KC EMC 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“.

Samsung and LG expand TV features to include cloud-based games

South Korea’s Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics will soon offer customers access to full-fledged computer games via a cloud-based streaming solution with their TVs. Spokespeople for the two companies made the announcement to The Korean Times newspaper in June of this year. Due to improvements in digital technology, the functions of TV sets are also increasing. In particular, tech giants such as Microsoft, Google and Nvidia are entering the TV market to offer their services on TV sets without the additional purchase of a game console. TV sets or their components may fall under KC certification, which is mandatory for many products to be approved for sale and use in the Korean market.     Samsung announced in this move that it has partnered with Microsoft to offer customers access to popular Xbox games on the latest Samsung smart TVs. The smart TVs will allow access to Xbox Game Pass through the Samsung Gaming Hub. Samsung says it is currently the only provider with this feature. Besides access to streamed games, the Samsung Gaming Hub also offers music or videos that are played simultaneously via multitasking. Competitor LG Electronics, on the other hand, works with Nvidia and offers customers access to games via Nvidia’s GeForce Now cloud service or Google’s Stadia cloud service via its TVs. LG assumes that the functions of TV sets will be similar to those of smartphones or PCs in the future. The basis of this assessment is the improvement of TV hardware and network technology, said an LG spokesperson. Customers will therefore increasingly demand other services besides today’s video streaming. As a TV manufacturer, LG Electronics will try to respond to these requests from customers, the spokesperson added. Certifications for the Korean market are a complex hurdle and difficult to navigate due to different authorities and certification systems. With over 15 years of experience in the certification business, MPR International GmbH is your best resource for competent service when it comes to exporting to Korea. For example, KC Safety is relevant for electronics and household products, mostly intended for consumers, as well as products for children and babies. 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“.

LG Chem invests about 400 million US dollars in ABS plastics production

South Korea’s LG Chem, the chemicals business unit within the LG Group, is investing the equivalent of around US$400 million in the modernization and expansion of its ABS plastics production facility at Yeosu. The nation’s largest petrochemical company recently contracted DL Group’s construction company DL E&C to work on the Yeosu ABS production facility. Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) plastic is an impact-resistant polymer with strong resistance to heat and can be produced in a wide variety of colors. ABS is used in the automotive industry and household and electronic appliances, among other applications. To ensure basic safety in the design and manufacture of hazardous machinery and protective equipment in hazardous workplaces such as chemical plants in Korea, KCs certification is mandatory for many machines and components.     LG plans to carry out the expansion of the ABS plant in Yeosu by 2024 using energy-efficient technology. This will involve the construction of a new ABS production line with an annual capacity of 222,000 tons, while the old line producing 140,000 tons will be shut down. After the expansion, LG Chem’s annual ABS production capacity will increase from 1 million tons to 1.08 million tons. In addition to higher output, the expansion also serves to improve the safety of the plant, an LG Chem spokesman said, adding that existing equipment will be used for ongoing orders until the new plant is operational. The roughly $400 million investment is the company’s largest outside its battery division. The price of ABS rose last year due to increased demand from electronics during the Covid 19 pandemic. However, the price dropped again after the Ukraine war and China’s prolonged Covid-19 lockdown. KCs certification was introduced in South Korea to ensure basic safety in the design and manufacture of hazardous machinery and protective equipment in hazardous workplaces in Korea. The goal is to protect the health and safety of workers 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“.

Northvolt develops cylindrical cell type 2170

Battery manufacturer Northvolt recently announced the successful development of a Type 2170 round cell and plans to mass produce it soon. The specification 2170 means a diameter of 21 mm and a length of 70 mm of the individual battery cells. Northvolt’s entry into the market will further increase competitive pressure among global battery manufacturers, as South Korea’s LG Energy Solution and Samsung SDI, among others, are also active in this field. Battery production may involve, among other things, components and equipment that require KC certification to be used in the Korean market.     As Business Korea writes, Northvolt introduced the new battery type in its 2021 sustainability report and on its website. It also renamed the brand names for round cells and rectangular cells to “Ling on berry Power” and “Ling on berry Life,” respectively. Northvolt was founded in 2016 and has been able to rise to become a major battery manufacturer with strong support from Volkswagen Group. The automotive group hopes to reduce its dependence on Asian cell producers through its investment. In addition to VW, Northvolt’s customers include BMW and Volvo. The global market for round cells is led by three companies: LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI and Panasonic. According to analysts, Samsung SDI will feel the impact of Northvolt the most, as both companies manufacture identical products. In addition, Samsung SDI’s and Northvolt’s customers overlap, so competition could intensify. Nevertheless, South Korean battery experts believe that Northvolt is not currently at the technological level of its competitors. According to the experts, the technological lead of the South Korean manufacturers will continue for several more years. In all likelihood, they say, there will only be a shift in the market toward stronger regional supplies of battery cells. For example, European automakers could increasingly source their cells from Europe, said one industry analyst. Overall, however, demand for battery cells will increase as EVs become more widespread, and new as well as existing producers will benefit, the analyst concluded. Certifications for the Korean market are a complex hurdle and difficult to navigate due to different authorities and certification systems. With over 15 years of experience in the certification business, MPR International GmbH is your best resource for competent service when it comes to exporting to Korea. For example, KC Safety is relevant for electronics and household products mostly intended for consumers, as well as products for children and babies. 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).