Korea's KC mark swallowed the old KCC mark back in 2018 and now uses one unified mark. Any wireless electronic product entering Korea must display it on both the body and the packaging. But do not be fooled by a single mark — underneath it actually sits two systems, run by two different agencies, with separate review and separate fees.
KATS handles safety; RRA (the National Radio Research Agency) handles wireless — both RF and EMC sit with RRA. I have seen plenty of people treat one KC certificate as a universal pass, only to find safety was never done and RRA was never done, so customs blocks it. The two systems are independent; do not mix them.
2. Keep the Two Systems Separate
KATS handles safety; RRA handles wireless.
(1) Safety follows the Electrical Appliances Safety Control Act; wireless (RF plus EMC) follows the Radio Waves Act. Most newcomers trip here: EMC does not belong to the KATS safety line — like RF, it falls under the RRA Radio Waves Act. If you prepare EMC documents on a safety mindset, your direction is wrong.
① Anything that is both wireless and plugged in cannot skip either safety or wireless. Bluetooth speakers, Wi-Fi routers, in-vehicle T-Boxes — all must go through RRA.
(2) Same mark, two certificates. Both print the KC mark, but the numbering is not one set. RRA RF numbers start with R; KATS safety numbers are on a separate track.
① For products doing both safety and RRA, both numbers must show on the label. Printing only one to sneak through means rejection and return at inspection.
3. How Wireless RRA Certification Is Split
Three models by risk level.
(1) High-risk products go through Conformity Certification — radar, PBX switches, IPTV set-top boxes, the Annex-I models. Most short-range Bluetooth or Wi-Fi devices go through Conformity Registration; only those with no corresponding standard fall to Interim Certification.
① An R-prefix number is the RF class; safety and EMC numbers are separate. Do not mix the strings when filing — wrong entries mean returned documents.
(2) Registration is the majority. Most consumer Bluetooth or Wi-Fi devices take the registration route, provided the report comes from a KOLAS-recognised lab. RF registration does not accept manufacturer self-test reports; even if you prepared everything yourself it is useless — a third party must stamp it.
① With complete documents and passed tests, registration is fast — weeks, easier than Conformity Certification.
4. Safety and EMC Have Their Own Routes
Safety splits into three risk tiers.
(1) Mandatory Certification has no fixed validity and survives only on annual factory supervision audits; Self-Regulatory Confirmation is valid five years with no annual audit; SDoC is for low-risk products declared by the local importer.
① EMC uses KN 32 and KN 35, the Korean twins of EN 55032 and EN 55035. FCC and CE EMC reports are recognised by RRA under the MRA framework, but a KOLAS lab must do a difference assessment — you cannot just hand one over and get a certificate, and do not expect an international report to fully waive testing.
(2) CB can cut duplication. If you hold a CB report with the Korean difference items, the safety side speeds up.
① The wireless part is not covered by CB; it still needs a separate RRA.
(3) KOLAS accreditation is about the stamp. Korean labs recognise the KOLAS stamp.
① A report without the KOLAS stamp is not accepted by RRA. Check the lab's accreditation stamp first; a wrong stamp voids everything before it.
5. 2026 SAR New Standard Lands
From 1 April, KS C 3350 becomes mandatory.
(1) It replaces the old KS C 3370 and aligns with IEC/IEEE 62209-1528.
① The limit is 1.6 W/kg, tighter than the international 2.0; body-worn devices measure at 5 mm from April. There is a time window: only models that already held an RRA certificate before 1 April, with zero hardware change, can keep selling; any new application after 1 April uses 5 mm, and any revision or antenna change needs retesting.
(2) The test distance tightens. 25 mm becomes 5 mm, and the exceedance risk jumps immediately.
① Send body-worn devices for testing early. Do not wait for the new rule to block shipment before redesigning — by then rework is costly.
6. Validity and Local Requirements
The RRA certificate is valid five years, with no annual audit and no factory audit; renewal at expiry is simple.
(1) Change the RF chip, antenna, band, or power and the certificate dies — you must re-apply. In plain terms, any substantive change to RF hardware, antenna, power, or band requires re-application; non-RF changes like housing or UI go through change filing. Do not privately alter RF parameters and ship with only an internal declaration — that is certificateless.
① The RRA RF certificate holder must be a Korean local legal entity — either the importer or a local agent. An overseas manufacturer cannot be the certificate holder; only a local entity may hold it. BlueAsia provides one-stop wireless certification and helps clients judge upfront whether to take the safety route or the RRA route, so no line is missed.
(2) Changes must be declared. RF changes re-apply; non-RF changes file.
① The certificate holder is tied to the import; changing the holder means re-application. Do not cut this corner and leave the hidden risk.
7. Scheduling Advice
Run safety, EMC, and RRA at one lab and test together to save time and money.
(1) 6 GHz indoor LPI devices get relaxed power in Korea in 2026.
① A multi-country certification partner recommends building KC into the plan early alongside China, Japan, and Taiwan approvals to cut repeated testing.
(2) Line up East Asia. Korean, Japanese, and Taiwanese certification standards overlap substantially.
① Test once for multiple regions; set the schedule early to save a round.
(3) Wi-Fi 6E band. 6 GHz in Korea splits into two segments, both limited to indoor LPI devices.
① 5925 to 6425 MHz is relaxed indoors to 1 W EIRP; 6425 to 7125 stays at 500 mW. Set the band plan early; do not apply this limit to outdoor devices.
Korea's KC mark looks like one badge but governs two agencies; planning safety and RRA together from the start is the cheapest way through.
Contact: King Email: king.guo@cblueasia.comAddress: Building C, Hongjingda Industrial Park, No. 107 Beihuan Road, Shiyan Street, Bao'an District, Shenzhen, China BlueAsia delivers more than service!
