On July 1, 2026, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) officially launched the “Cosmetic Safety Assessment Support” website to provide comprehensive information and consultation support for the cosmetic safety assessment system that will be phased in from 2028.
The platform brings together domestic and international cosmetic safety regulatory information, consulting and training resources, and FAQs to help cosmetic companies — especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) — prepare their safety assessment documentation. CIRS Group has compiled and summarized the platform's main features and related background for your reference.
Background
Under the partial amendment to the Cosmetics Act (Act No. 21302) promulgated on December 30, 2025, South Korea established a cosmetic safety assessment system: cosmetic responsible sellers must prepare and retain product safety assessment documentation reviewed by a safety assessor before placing products on the market or distributing them.
The MFDS plans to develop detailed rules and conduct pilots in 2026, phase in the system from 2028, and make it fully mandatory around 2031, in order to strengthen the global competitiveness of K-Beauty and enhance consumer trust. To help companies — particularly SMEs lacking in-house safety assessment capacity — prepare smoothly, the MFDS launched this support website on July 1.
Main Features of the Platform
Website: Cosmetic Safety Assessment Support website
Main sections:
- Program introduction
- Consulting application and receipt status
- Domestic and international cosmetic safety regulatory information
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Companies can: apply to attend cosmetic safety assessment information sessions and access the related meeting materials at any time through the website;
MFDS plans: to publish an information newsletter twice a month, covering domestic and international cosmetic regulatory developments and government support programs related to safety assessment, and to operate a discussion board for active communication with industry;
Next steps: the MFDS will continue to gather industry feedback and provide training and technical support on the preparation of safety assessment documentation to help the system settle in steadily.
Related Platform
In addition to the safety assessment support website, the MFDS earlier launched the website "Cosmetic Global Regulatory Harmonization Support Center" which provides domestic and international cosmetic regulatory developments, product authorization, ingredient regulatory information, export guides, and an AI counseling chatbot named “Cosbot ”, and can be used in conjunction with the safety assessment support website.
CIRS Reminder
The launch of this support website signals that South Korea's cosmetic safety assessment system is entering a substantive implementation phase, with far-reaching implications for cosmetic responsible sellers in Korea (including overseas companies exporting to Korea). CIRS Group offers the following reminders:
- Follow the platform: track detailed rules, information sessions, and consulting/training resources via cpsrcosmetic.or.kr, and apply for one-on-one consulting where needed;
- Build assessment capacity in advance: cosmetic responsible sellers should promptly appoint or engage a Safety Assessor and establish a workflow for preparing safety assessment documentation;
- Mind the timeline: 2026–2027 is for detailed rules and pilots, with phased mandatory implementation beginning in 2028 — companies should back-plan their preparation schedule.
If you need any assistance or have any questions, please get in touch with us via service@cirs-group.com.
Our Services
- Korean Cosmetics Product Notification & Registration (General Cosmetics, Functional Cosmetics)
- Korea Cosmetic Ingredient Database (KCID) Registration
- South Korea Responsible Party (RP) Services
- South Korea Cosmetic Formula Review
- South Korea Cosmetic Label Review
- Quality Inspection
Further Information:
