The South Korean government said Wednesday that its proposal to tighten safety rules on portable lithium battery charging devices aboard aircraft has been adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organization and standardized globally, to take effect April 20.
Under the new guidelines, passengers are limited to carrying up to two lithium battery power banks and are prohibited from recharging them during flights. The measures were approved by the 36 member states of the ICAO Council.
According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, only power banks with a capacity of up to 160 watt-hours will be permitted on board.
South Korea began enforcing stricter safety measures on portable charging devices in March last year following a fire on Air Busan Flight 391 on Jan. 28, 2025.
The blaze, which originated from a power bank stored in an overhead bin, caused no fatalities, but injured 27 passengers and severely damaged the aircraft.
Differences in national regulations led to confusion among international travelers, prompting Seoul to push for a unified global standard through the UN-affiliated aviation body.
The ministry urged travelers to check airline-specific rules before departure, noting that some countries, including Japan, have already implemented their own safety measures for portable batteries.
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com
