● Updated Law: Enforcement Rule of the Indoor Air Quality Control Act
What it does: Lowers allowable indoor ultrafine dust levels in public-use facilities
Took effect: Jan. 1
South Korea has strengthened indoor air quality rules for public facilities in an effort to create safer environments, particularly children and teenagers.
Under the revised regulation, the maximum allowable level of ultrafine dust in certain facilities has been lowered from 50 micrograms per cubic meter to 40 micrograms per cubic meter. The stricter standard applies to libraries, museums, art galleries, large retail stores and private educational academies.
Authorities say the change is intended to reduce health risks linked to long-term exposure to ultrafine particulate matter in places that are used by large numbers of people.
Expanding nutrition labeling
● Updated Law: Enforcement Rule of the Act on Labeling and Advertising of Foods
What it does: Broadens nutrition labeling requirements and warning labels for certain food products
Took effect: Jan. 1
South Korea has expanded mandatory nutrition labeling and warning requirements for processed foods, bringing more products and ingredients under regulation.
Under the revised rule, foods that were previously exempt from nutrition labeling — including ice cream mixes, sugar, butter and red pepper powder — will now be required to display nutritional information. The new requirements will be introduced gradually between 2026 and 2028, depending on a company’s annual sales. Large businesses with sales exceeding 12 billion won ($8.3 million) as of 2022 have been subject to the rules since Jan. 1 this year.
Warning labels for high caffeine content have also been expanded. Previously applied only to beverages, the requirement now includes solid foods containing guarana, a plant native to the Amazon region whose seeds naturally contain high levels of caffeine.
In addition, products that use sugar alcohols as low-calorie sweeteners must clearly state the type and amount of sugar alcohol if it makes up 10 percent or more of the product. These products must also carry warnings about the potential effects of excessive consumption.
In collaboration with the Ministry of Government Legislation, The Korea Herald publishes a monthly feature introducing recently updated South Korean laws. The ministry’s Easy Law service (https://www.easylaw.go.kr/CSM/Main.laf) provides accessible summaries of Korean laws categorized by topic in English and 11 other languages: Arabic, Bengali, Cambodian, Simplified Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese, Mongolian, Nepali, Thai, Uzbek and Vietnamese. — Ed.
mkjung@heraldcorp.com
