South Korea QR Code Energy Label Proposal Covers 46 Product Categories

South Korea Proposes QR Code Energy Efficiency Labels and Revised Standards for Routers, Chargers, Displays and Appliances

South Korea is preparing one of the broadest updates to its energy efficiency labeling framework in recent years. Through WTO TBT notification G/TBT/N/KOR/1376, dated 24 August 2026, the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment (MCEE) has proposed amendments to the Regulation on Energy Efficiency Management Equipment (MCEE Notice No. 2026-798).

The draft has two pillars: the introduction of a QR code-based energy efficiency label design across 46 product categories, and revised energy efficiency standards for 14 product categories, several of which fall squarely within the ICT and consumer electronics space, including wired and wireless routers, adapters and chargers, television sets, signage displays and audio products.

The measure is currently a proposal under public consultation. Comments may be submitted until 23 October 2026, and the adoption date has not yet been determined.

Regulatory Background

South Korea's energy efficiency labeling and minimum energy performance standards (MEPS) program is established under the Energy Use Rationalization Act. The program operates as a mandatory reporting scheme: manufacturers and importers of regulated products must have each model's energy efficiency measured by an authorized testing laboratory (or through approved self-measurement), report the results, and display the corresponding efficiency grade and values on the product label.

Policy responsibility for energy efficiency, historically held by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE), now sits with the Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment, which is identified as the responsible agency in this WTO notification. Day-to-day operation of the program, including model registration, continues to be handled by the Korea Energy Agency (KEA).

Key Changes in the South Korea QR Code Energy Label Proposal

1. New QR code-based label design

The proposal replaces the current label design with a QR code-based format. While the notification summary does not detail the QR code's data content, QR-enabled energy labels typically link consumers and market surveillance authorities to a registered product record containing model-level efficiency data. The new design would be rolled out across 46 product categories in stages.

2. Revised energy efficiency standards for 14 product categories

The following categories are subject to revised efficiency standards:

#	Product category	Sector relevance
1	Electric refrigerators	Household appliances
2	Kimchi refrigerators	Household appliances
3	Television sets	Audio/video equipment
4	Gas water heaters	Gas appliances
5	Three-phase induction motors	Industrial equipment
6	Adapters and chargers	Power supplies / ICT accessories
7	Signage displays	Displays / professional AV
8	Refrigerated display cabinets	Commercial refrigeration
9	Audio products	Audio/video equipment
10	Wireless/wired routers	Network equipment
11	Microwave ovens	Household appliances
12	Pumps	Industrial equipment
13	Centrifugal blowers	Industrial equipment
14	LED luminaires	Lighting

3. Point requiring clarification: adapters and chargers

The notification contains an internal inconsistency. It states that the new QR code label design applies to all items except adapters and chargers, yet the transition provisions list adapters and chargers in the six-month group alongside the new label design. Manufacturers of external power supplies and chargers should not finalize label artwork until the final Korean notice confirms which requirement applies.

What This Means for Manufacturers

This is not a cosmetic label refresh. For companies placing affected products on the Korean market, the proposal has operational, technical and commercial consequences:

• Label and packaging redesign. A QR code-based label affects artwork templates, label dimensions, placement on product and packaging, and print production lead times.

• Data and digital readiness. QR codes depend on a correctly registered and maintained model record. Product information management, model naming consistency and model family grouping become compliance-critical.

• Test evidence may need to be refreshed. Where revised standards change performance thresholds, grade boundaries or calculation methods, existing test reports and prior KEA registrations may no longer support the declared efficiency grade.

• Product design implications. Products currently near the grade or MEPS boundary, particularly routers, power adapters and displays, may need design or firmware optimization (for example, standby and network standby consumption) to maintain their grade.

• Launch planning. Products scheduled to launch after the applicable transition date should be designed, tested and labeled against the proposed framework from the outset.

• ICT and telecom equipment in scope. Router, charger and display manufacturers that typically focus on KC EMC/RF certification through RRA must also track energy efficiency obligations, which follow a separate process managed by KEA.

  
  

Certification Impact Summary

Product group	Revised efficiency standard	New QR code label	Proposed application	Certification impact
Kimchi refrigerators, TVs, gas water heaters, three-phase induction motors, signage displays	Yes	Yes	6 months after adoption	Re-test against revised thresholds; update KEA registration; new label artwork
Adapters and chargers	Yes	Unclear (conflicting text)	6 months after adoption	Re-test likely; hold label artwork until final notice is published
Electric refrigerators, refrigerated display cabinets, audio products, wireless/wired routers, microwave ovens, pumps, centrifugal blowers	Yes	Yes (part of 40-category label rollout)	12 months after adoption	Review efficiency and standby data; re-test where margins are narrow; new label
Other regulated categories within the 46-category label scope	No change indicated	Yes	12 months after adoption	Label redesign and QR data readiness; existing test data likely remains valid
LED luminaires	Yes	Yes	1 January 2028 (fixed date)	Re-test and relabel by fixed deadline regardless of adoption date

Timeline

Date	Milestone
24 August 2026	WTO TBT notification G/TBT/N/KOR/1376 circulated
23 October 2026	Deadline for comments on the draft
To be determined	Final adoption and publication of the amended regulation
Adoption + 6 months	Revised standards and new label apply to the first group (Kimchi refrigerators, TVs, gas water heaters, three-phase induction motors, adapters and chargers, signage displays)
Adoption + 12 months	Revised standards apply to the second group (including wired/wireless routers and audio products); new label extended to 40 product categories
1 January 2028	Revised standards and new label apply to LED luminaires

Required Actions for Manufacturers and Importers

1. Map your portfolio. Identify every model sold in South Korea that falls within the 14 categories with revised standards or the wider 46-category label scope.

2. Gap-assess test data. Compare existing KEA-registered efficiency values against the proposed revised thresholds once the Korean draft text is reviewed, and flag models with narrow margins.

3. Plan re-testing early. Book capacity with KEA-designated testing laboratories before transition deadlines compress available slots.

4. Prepare label and packaging updates. Build QR code label templates and align packaging change cycles with the 6- and 12-month transition windows.

5. Clean up product data. Ensure model names, model family structures and registration records are consistent, since QR codes will link to registered product information.

6. Treat adapter and charger labeling as provisional until the final notice resolves the conflicting language.

7. Submit comments by 23 October 2026 if transition timing, QR data requirements, label placement or scope pose practical difficulties.

8. Monitor final adoption. Once the adoption date is published, convert the relative transition periods into fixed compliance dates and update launch plans accordingly.

Conclusion

South Korea's QR code energy label proposal signals a shift toward digitally linked, data-driven energy labeling, combined with tighter efficiency requirements for high-volume products such as routers, chargers, televisions and refrigerators. Although the rule is not yet final, the staged 6- and 12-month transition periods leave limited time once adoption occurs. Manufacturers that begin portfolio reviews, test gap assessments and label planning now will be best positioned to maintain uninterrupted access to the Korean market.