On May 13, 2026, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) officially promulgated the partial amendment to the Regulation for Notification of Cosmetics Manufacturing & Import Amount and Lists of Ingredients (Korea Cosmetic Industry Association Notice No. 5-204).
The amendment grants report-receiving organizations (such as KCIA) the authority to verify facts with cosmetics Responsible Sellers who have failed to submit production and import reports. It also authorizes regional MFDS offices to conduct on-site inspections of non-compliant companies and establishes compliance incentive measures. A draft version of this amendment was previously published for public consultation from April 9 to April 29, 2026.
Background
Under South Korea's Cosmetics Act, cosmetics Responsible Sellers are required to report annual production and import performance to the MFDS and submit lists of ingredients used. However, some companies have persistently failed to submit these reports. Even companies with no production or import activity are required to report "no performance", yet many have neglected this obligation. This has made it difficult for the MFDS to maintain a comprehensive overview of cosmetics production and distribution in the market. To strengthen oversight of non-reporting companies, the MFDS has amended the reporting regulation to equip relevant organizations with additional follow-up measures and enhance enforcement of the reporting system.
Key Amendments
1. Empowering Report-Receiving Organizations to Conduct Fact-Verification
The amended regulation clarifies that organizations commissioned by the MFDS to receive production and import reports (such as the Korea Cosmetic Industry Association, KCIA) may verify the facts regarding Responsible Sellers who have failed to submit production and import reports. This means report-receiving organizations now have the authority to proactively contact non-reporting companies to confirm whether they genuinely have no production or import activity, or whether there has been an omission in reporting.
2. Authorizing On-Site Inspections by Regional MFDS Offices
The amendment explicitly authorizes regional MFDS offices to conduct on-site inspections of companies that fail to submit required production, import, and ingredient reports. Previously, there was a lack of effective follow-up enforcement measures for companies that had long been non-compliant with reporting obligations. This amendment provides a clear legal basis for regulatory authorities to conduct on-site verification, thereby ensuring comprehensive enforcement of the reporting system.
3. Establishing Compliance Incentive Measures
Companies that submit timely and accurate reports in accordance with regulations may receive official commendations or other incentive measures to encourage voluntary compliance. This mechanism aims to improve companies' awareness of compliance through positive reinforcement and raise the overall level of reporting compliance across the cosmetics industry.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Under Article 13 of South Korea's Cosmetics Act, cosmetics Responsible Sellers who fail to submit production, import, and ingredient reports are subject to a surcharge of up to KRW 500,000. With the enhanced fact-verification and on-site inspection mechanisms introduced by this amendment, the likelihood of detecting and penalizing non-compliant behavior is expected to increase significantly.
Implications and Recommendations
This formal amendment signals the MFDS's intent to further strengthen enforcement of the cosmetics production and import reporting regime. Companies that have previously paid insufficient attention to their annual reporting obligations may face more stringent regulatory scrutiny. Importers and manufacturers operating in the South Korean cosmetics market are advised to take note of the following:
- Even if there was no cosmetics production or import activity during the reporting period, a "no performance" report must be submitted as required — omission is not acceptable;
- Be attentive to verification inquiries from report-receiving organizations such as KCIA, and respond promptly to fact-verification requests;
- Establish sound internal compliance management mechanisms to ensure that annual reports are submitted on time and accurately.
Timeline
- April 9, 2026: MFDS published draft amendment announcement (Notice No. 2026-183) for public consultation
- April 29, 2026: Public consultation period closed
- May 13, 2026: MFDS officially promulgated the partial amendment to the Regulation on Reporting of Cosmetics Production/Import Performance and Ingredient Lists (KCIA Notice No. 5-204)
CIRS Reminder
South Korea has formally amended its cosmetics production and import reporting regulation, granting report-receiving organizations fact-verification authority and authorizing regional MFDS offices to conduct on-site inspections. Companies engaged in the South Korean cosmetics market are advised to review their reporting obligations promptly and ensure timely submission of annual production, import, and ingredient reports. For questions regarding South Korean cosmetics regulatory compliance, please feel free to contact CIRS Group.
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)
- Standardization of Cosmetic Ingredient Names in Korea
- Korean Cosmetics Label Review
- Quality Inspection
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