. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/KOR/270 
21 April 2010  
 (10-2044) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
 
 
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  REPUBLIC OF KOREA  
If applicable, name of local governme nt involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):     
2. Agency responsible:  Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above :   
Korean Agency for Technology and Standards 
96, Gyoyukwongil, Gwacheon-Si Gyonggi-Do, 427-716 Korea Tel.:  (+82) 2 509 7254/7255 Fax:  (+82) 2 509 7307 
E-mail:  tbt@kats.go.kr 
Website:  http://www.kats.go.kr
 
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [ X ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:   
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Chemical Products 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Proposed Revision of 
Safety Criteria for consumer  products subject to the self -regulatory safety confirmation 
(15 pages, in Korean).      
6. Description of content:  This proposal is for revising the sa fety criteria for chemical products 
subject to the self-regulatory safety confirmation as below:  
- Introducing ISO 9439:  1999 (Water qual ity- Evaluation of ultimate aerobic 
biodegradability of organic compounds in a queous medium – Carbon dioxide evolution 
test) for the biodegradability of surfac tants used in synthetic detergents; 
- Setting the new standards and specifications for fabric softener to avoid using hazardous 
substances; 
* Ban the use of alkylphenol ethoxylates, dimethyl dialky ammonium chloride, and 
fluorescent brightening agents; 
* Add criteria for allowable limits of 10 items of haza rdous preservatives including 
Benzalkonium chloride, Benzoic acid, Benzyl e alcohol, Methylisothiazolinone, Phenoxy 
ethanol, Chloromethylisothiazolinone, Benz ylisothiazolinone, Pheneethyl alcohol, 
Paraben, Formaldehyde; G/TBT/N/KOR/270 
Page 2  
 
  - Adding the safety requirement s on labelling that it is require d to indicate components of 
synthetic detergents, washing agents, and fabric softener. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
Consumer protection.  
8. Relevant documents:   KATS Public Notice No. 2010-87 (1 April 2010)       
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:      June 2010, or later 
  January 2011, or later 
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from date of notification 
11. Text available from: National enquiry point [X], or address, telephone and fax numbers, 
e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:    
TBT Division 
KATS 96, Gyoyukwongil, Gwacheon-Si 
Gyonggi-Do, 427-716 
Korea Tel.:  (+82) 2 509 7254/7255 Fax:  (+82) 2 509 7307 E-mail:  tbt@kats.go.kr Website:  http://www.kats.go.kr
 
Full texts are available on the Internet at URLs:  http://www.knowtbt.kr/eng/index.aspx   
And can also be downloaded here:  
http://members.wto.org/crna ttachments/2010/tbt/kor/10_1447_00_x.pdf