South Korea’s strict compliance standards focus on key areas like ingredients, labeling and packaging, claims, manufacturing practices and product testing. Here’s how to navigate each of these.
Ingredient Compliance
South Korea maintains stringent ingredient standards that white label brands must follow meticulously. The MFDS publishes comprehensive lists of:
- Approved ingredients
- Restricted ingredients (permitted with concentration limits)
- Prohibited substances
To avoid costly disruptions, ingredient verification should happen early in product development.
White label brands must review formulations against current MFDS standards, as these lists undergo regular updates. Common banned substances include hydroquinone at certain concentrations, certain parabens and various heavy metals.
Current market trends show a significant shift toward natural and organic ingredients. According to industry reports, some major brands are incorporating botanicals like propolis, macadamia, honey, green tea and fermented ingredients in their formulations.
Documentation requirements include detailed toxicological assessments for new ingredients and comprehensive safety data for all formulations.
Working with manufacturers who already understand these requirements simplifies compliance significantly.
Labeling and Packaging Requirements
Labeling represents one of the most visible—and frequently challenging—compliance areas for white label brands entering Korea.
All products sold in South Korea must include Korean-language labeling with specific information, like:
- Product name and category
- Manufacturer and MAH information
- Full ingredient list in descending order (using INCI names)
- Manufacturing date or expiration date
- Content volume/weight
- Batch code
- Usage instructions
- Warning statements (including allergen information)
White label brands should understand the distinction between export packaging and domestic Korean packaging requirements. While export products may have different standards, anything sold within Korea must meet all local requirements.
Smart white label brands implement bilingual labeling strategies early in their development process, creating templates that satisfy multiple market requirements simultaneously.
Functional Cosmetics: Claims and Testing
For maximum consumer transparency, products making functional claims face additional scrutiny in South Korea.
Anti-aging serums, brightening treatments and UV protection products all require pre-market approval rather than simple notification.
For white label brands entering the functional cosmetics space:
- Clinical testing becomes mandatory to substantiate claims
- Testing must follow MFDS-approved protocols
- Supporting documentation must be submitted before approval
- Claims language must precisely match approved wording
The approval process for functional cosmetics typically takes longer than standard notification, often adding 2-3 months to market entry timelines. White label brands should factor this into their launch schedules.
Claims violations carry significant penalties, including product recalls and marketing restrictions. Accuracy in marketing materials proves just as important as formula compliance.
Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP)
Korean GMP standards rank among the world’s most stringent cosmetic manufacturing guidelines.
These comprehensive standards cover:
- Facility requirements
- Quality management systems
- Documentation procedures
- Personnel qualifications
- Process validation
- Material handling
As a best practice for long-term resilience, white label brands should exclusively partner with Korean manufacturers holding current GMP certification.
This certification not only ensures compliance with Korean regulations but also supports market entry requirements for other regions.
The MFDS conducts regular inspections of manufacturing facilities to verify ongoing GMP compliance. White label brands should request and maintain copies of current GMP certifications from their manufacturing partners, updating these records annually.
Animal Testing Regulations
South Korea banned animal testing for cosmetic products and ingredients in 2018, aligning with global movements toward cruelty-free beauty standards.
For white label brands, this requires:
- Verifying that no animal testing occurred for final formulations
- Ensuring ingredients weren’t tested on animals after the ban date
- Implementing alternative safety assessment methods
- Documenting testing protocols for regulatory submission
Accepted alternative testing methods include in vitro studies, computer modeling and human volunteer studies under controlled conditions.
Market analysis shows that cruelty-free and vegan formulations are seeing tremendous growth worldwide. This trend aligns with the broader market shift toward sustainability, which appears across all major regions:
- North American consumers show strong preference for clean beauty concepts
- European markets emphasize environmentally friendly packaging and plant-based formulations
- Asian consumers increasingly seek ethical sourcing alongside efficacy
Many white label brands leverage this ban as a marketing advantage, highlighting their cruelty-free status across markets.
However, claims of “cruelty-free” status require verification throughout the entire supply chain.
