Korea to Mandate Child-resistant Packaging for Coin Batteries
On 16 July 2025, the Korean Minister of Trade, Industryand Energy issued a legislative notice of partial amendment to the "Enforcement Regulations of the Electrical Appliances and Household Products Safety Management Act".
Reason for Revision
In view of the many accidents under the age of 10 related to Battery Packaging, there is a need to have more detailed regulations regarding 'button-type and coin-type primary batteries' items to prevent child swallowing accidents.
Substantial Requirements
The proposed revision seeks to designate button-type and coin-type primary batteries as products subject to child-resistant packaging (CRP) and to update the criteria for assigning CRP registration numbers accordingly.
Requirements will be largely aligned withinternational practices. South Korea plans to introduce new safety standards and revise related regulations to mandate child-resistant packaging for button-type and coin-type primary batteries.
For example, packaging must be difficult for children to open and must include clear safety symbols and warning labels.
Kim Dae-ja, Director of the National Institute of Technology and Standards, said, “We expect children to be protected from swallowing accidents by preventing children from opening batteries on their own through child protection packaging. We will continue to thoroughly manage the safety of household goods to ensure children's safety in daily life”.
Effective Date
Institutions, organisations, or individuals with opinions on this amendment should submit their opinions online through the Public Participation Legislation Centre (http://opinion.lawmaking.go.kr) by 19 September 2025, or submit a written recommendation to the Children's Product Safety Division of the National Institute of Technology and Standards of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy.
The relevant standards and legal provisions are scheduled to be finalised within this year, with implementation planned for 2026 following a six-month grace period.
Reference
