On August 20, 2026, the South Korean National Assembly passed the "Cosmetic Industry Cultivation and Support Act." This is South Korea's first dedicated legislation for the cultivation of the cosmetic industry, providing a complete legal foundation for national support covering the entire value chain—from R&D, raw materials and packaging to manufacturing, distribution and export.
On the same day, the National Assembly also passed amendments to the "Cosmetics Act," aimed at strengthening the framework for safety management and regulatory support. Both two acts will enter into force one year after their official promulgation. CIRS Group has summarized the key contents below for your reference.
Cosmetic Industry Cultivation and Support Act
The Act primarily provides for the following four major areas:
1. The establishment of a comprehensive industry cultivation planning system.
The Minister of Health and Welfare shall formulate a five-year "Comprehensive Plan for Cosmetic Industry Cultivation and Support," and shall establish a "Cosmetic Industry Cultivation and Support Committee," directly under the Minister and composed of no more than 15 members, responsible for reviewing the formulation and implementation of the comprehensive plan and implementation plans, as well as the granting of innovative cosmetic enterprise certifications.
2. The establishment of an "innovative cosmetic enterprise" certification system.
Enterprises with outstanding performance in R&D investment and overseas market expansion shall be certified, with certification categories to be prescribed by Presidential Decree and support provided by category; the criteria for designating the certification management agency are specified, and new provisions grant priority treatment for certified innovative cosmetic enterprises in national and local government support programs and R&D projects.
3. Strengthened R&D and sustainability support.
The Act provides a legal basis for advancing and supporting government R&D programs, supports testing, evaluation and research related to the cosmetic industry, and supports enterprises in responding to sustainability (ESG) trends and building eco-friendly infrastructure.
4. Consolidating the industrial foundation.
This includes professional talent cultivation, a comprehensive cosmetic industry support center, cultivation of the raw materials and packaging industry, improvement of distribution structures and sales channel support, support for overseas market entry and international cooperation, construction and operation of a comprehensive cosmetic industry information system, intellectual property protection, designation of cosmetic industry clusters, and industry-academia-research-government collaboration.
Amendments to the Cosmetics Act
On the same day, the plenary session of the National Assembly also passed amendments to the Cosmetics Act, administered by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS).
The amendments provide that: the government shall formulate and implement a basic plan for cosmetic safety management; a new "Cosmetic Management Council" (committee deliberation body) shall be established to discuss cosmetic safety management policies and other related matters.
If you need any assistance or have any questions, please get in touch with us via service@cirs-group.com.
Our Services
- South Korea Cosmetics Product Notification & Registration (General Cosmetics, Functional Cosmetics)
- South 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:
South Korea MOHW
