The term "Korea MIC Certification" is outdated. In the early years, MIC (Ministry of Information and Communication) managed communication and radio frequency certification, which was widely called MIC Certification in the industry. After government restructuring, MIC was reorganized into MSIP (Ministry of Science and ICT), and the corresponding certification was renamed KCC.
Following the reform of the unified KC mark in South Korea, the original independent KC Safety, KCC RF and EMC certifications have all been integrated into the current KC system. Therefore, MIC, KCC and MSIP are all old industry names; the official unified name now is KC Certification.
KC is divided into multiple categories based on product functions, supervised by two major authorities:
·KATS (Korea Agency for Technology and Standards): Responsible for electrical safety certification.
·RRA (Radio Research Agency of Korea): In charge of EMC, radio frequency (RF) and cybersecurity for networked products.
-KC Safety Certification: Applies to electrical products with AC 50V ~ 1000V or DC 75V ~ 1500V. High-risk products such as large home appliances and high-capacity lithium batteries require formal certification plus factory inspection, with certificates maintained via annual surveillance. Low-risk products adopt the self-confirmation scheme, only requiring submission of test reports with no fixed expiry date.
-KC EMC Certification: Mandatory for almost all powered products, implemented in accordance with local Korean KS CISPR standards. The test logic is similar to EU CE EMC, but limit values and partial test conditions differ from EN standards.
-KC RF Certification: Required for products with Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, cellular and other wireless functions. Rules: All powered products must complete safety and EMC tests; wireless products need additional RF testing and cannot be exempted from electrical safety requirements.
The phased classification system for Korean wireless devices was fully launched in 2025 and further implemented in 2026:
·Class 1 (Low-risk devices): Bluetooth headsets, wireless keyboards, etc. Simplified procedures with no factory inspection required.
·Class 2 (High-risk devices): 5G routers, high-power RF devices, etc. Full RF and EMC tests are mandatory.
·Cellular terminals such as mobile phones follow special strict control rules. No factory inspection is required for wireless items alone; factory audits are only applied to high-risk electrical safety products. 5GHz Wi-Fi devices must support the DFS function to avoid interference with meteorological and military radars.
2. Relationship between MIC and KC Certification
MIC was the former government department in charge of communication businesses, and its corresponding certification was known as MIC Certification. After institutional restructuring, MIC merged into MSIP, and RF certification was renamed KCC. After the launch of the unified KC mark, the original independent KC Safety, KCC RF and EMC were integrated into one KC system. Although MIC, KCC, MSIP and KC are still used in the industry, the official standard name is KC Certification.
3. KC Certification Process
·Product Classification: Determine applicable test items based on power supply, wireless functions and smart networking features.
·Technical Document Preparation: Mandatory documents include Korean user manuals, circuit schematics and BOM. Key components such as power supplies and lithium batteries must hold valid compliance certificates. Networked smart products with remote control functions need additional cybersecurity test reports and legally signed cybersecurity declarations. Devices with only local wireless communication (no internet access) are exempted from cybersecurity tests.
·Sample Testing: For ordinary home appliances, valid CB certificates and reports with Korean national differences can be converted to KC Safety certification to avoid repeated testing and shorten lead time. Standard CB reports without Korean differences are not accepted by KATS.
·Factory Inspection: Mandatory for high-risk products to verify consistency between mass-produced goods and certified samples. Annual surveillance audits are required; certificates will be revoked if audits fail.
·Certificate Issuance & Marking: The KC mark must be permanently printed on the product body (not just on packaging). Mark the certification number, working voltage, frequency, manufacturer and Korean authorized representative information. Some home appliances require an after-sales service phone number in Korean. The format of certification numbers must comply with official specifications.
Non-Korean manufacturers must appoint a qualified local Korean authorized representative, who takes charge of application, certificate maintenance, annual service and official inspection responses. Representative qualifications can be verified on the official KATS website.
4. Lead Time & Cost of KC Certification
·Lead Time: 4 ~ 6 weeks for ordinary home appliances; 2 ~ 4 weeks for low-risk wireless products; 6 ~ 8 weeks for networked smart products (extended by 1 ~ 2 weeks for cybersecurity tests). Around 30% of products require rectification after failed tests, so reserve a buffer period of 1 ~ 3 weeks.
·Cost: A full set of KC Safety + EMC for a single model ranges from 8,000 to 20,000 RMB. RF certification costs 15,000 to 30,000 RMB. Costs can be reduced via CB conversion. Multi-band wireless and cellular products have higher charges.
Korea KC certification has developed into a comprehensive system covering safety, EMC, RF, energy efficiency and cybersecurity, evolving from the original single MIC certification.
For South Korea KC Certification services, please contact Blueasia: 13534225140
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