Reading Korea’s Cosmetics Act | The Unique Category of “Functional Cosmetics”

In our series on reading cosmetic rules around the world, this installment looks at South Korea. So far, we have introduced EU, United States, China these systems.

In 2000, Cosmetics Became Independent from the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act

South Korea’s Cosmetics Act (Act No. 6025) was enacted in September 1999 and came into effect on July 1, 2000. It placed cosmetics, which had previously been handled within the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, under a separate law. The responsible authority is the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS).

The Category of “Functional Cosmetics”

A major feature of South Korea’s system is that it has a category called “functional cosmetics,” separate from general cosmetics. Products related to whitening, wrinkles, sunscreen, tanning, and similar purposes fall into this category, and businesses that manufacture or import and sell them must either undergo MFDS review of safety and efficacy for each item or report that the item conforms to the specified standards. In 2017, the scope was expanded to include products related to hair dyeing and hair removal, among others.

South Korea’s cosmetic system is built around separating “general cosmetics” from “functional cosmetics,” with the latter undergoing government review or reporting for each item. This differs from how Japan draws the line between “cosmetics” and “quasi-drugs,” including medicated cosmetics.

Differences from Japan

In Japan, there is a category called “quasi-drugs” separate from cosmetics, and medicated cosmetics receive approval for each item (the distinction between cosmetics and medicated cosmetics). South Korea also has a separate quasi-drug category, and some products for acne and similar purposes are handled there. When looking at overseas cosmetics, it is useful to know that even similar products may fall into different categories depending on the country.

References: South Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS); Cosmetics Act (Act No. 6025); Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO)

—The Value Village Editorial Team