Korean Ecolabel

1. Identify applicable product category criteria: Visit the Korean Ecolabel website (el.keiti.re.kr) and review the published product category criteria (PCCs) relevant to your product type. Korea Ecolabel covers over 160 product categories — confirm your product falls within a defined category before proceeding.

1. Review environmental performance requirements: Study the specific environmental thresholds, restricted substances, and performance benchmarks your product must meet under the relevant PCC. These are based on lifecycle considerations from production through disposal.

1. Engage an ISO 17025-accredited testing laboratory: Arrange for your product to be tested by a laboratory accredited under ISO 17025 and recognized by KEITI. Testing must demonstrate conformity with all applicable criteria in the PCC.

1. Prepare application documentation: Compile product specifications, manufacturing process descriptions, test reports, ingredient/material declarations, and any other documentation required by the relevant PCC.

1. Submit application to KEITI: Submit your completed application package and test results to KEITI through the official Korean Ecolabel portal. Pay the applicable application fee at this stage.

1. Technical review and evaluation: KEITI and authorized independent reviewers assess your documentation and test results against the PCC criteria. They may request additional information or clarification during this stage.

1. Certification decision and label agreement: If your product meets all criteria, KEITI issues a certification decision. You sign a label use agreement and pay any licensing fees, after which you are authorized to display the Korean Ecolabel mark on qualifying products.

1. Maintain certification and plan for renewal: Monitor any updates to the relevant PCC and prepare for renewal approximately 3 years from the certification date, which requires re-testing and re-application.

The Korean Ecolabel evaluates products against product category criteria (PCCs) that are specific to each product type. Assessment is lifecycle-based, examining environmental impacts from raw material extraction through manufacturing, use, and end-of-life disposal. The program currently covers over 160 product categories spanning construction materials, electronics, cleaning products, office supplies, textiles, and more.

Key evaluation dimensions typically include: Resource efficiency — whether the product uses recycled content, reduces material consumption, or conserves natural resources; Energy performance — energy consumption during manufacturing and/or use phase; Hazardous substance restrictions — limits on heavy metals, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), formaldehyde, and other restricted chemicals; Durability and repairability — product lifespan and design for longevity; and End-of-life considerations — recyclability, biodegradability, or safe disposal pathways.

For construction and building materials specifically, criteria often address VOC emissions, recycled content thresholds, and environmental performance during the building's operational phase. All test results must be generated by ISO 17025-accredited laboratories, and the specific thresholds vary by product category. KEITI publishes the full PCCs publicly, and criteria are periodically revised through a stakeholder consultation process to reflect advances in environmental science and technology.

The Korean Ecolabel is one of Asia's most established national ecolabels, having operated since 1992 under the framework of ISO 14024 (Type I environmental labels). It is administered by KEITI under the authority of the Korean Ministry of Environment and is deeply embedded in South Korea's green procurement ecosystem. Government agencies and public institutions in Korea are required or strongly encouraged to purchase Korean Ecolabel-certified products under the Act on Promotion of Purchase of Green Products, making certification effectively a prerequisite for significant portions of the public sector market.

With over 15,000 certified products across more than 160 categories, the program has achieved substantial domestic market penetration. It is particularly influential in the construction materials, electronics, and consumer goods sectors. The label enjoys high consumer recognition within South Korea and is actively promoted through government campaigns. However, its recognition is almost entirely domestic — unlike the EU Ecolabel or Blue Angel, it carries limited weight in international markets, which constrains its value for companies without a Korean market focus.

Demand for the certification is stable and supported by Korea's ambitious national environmental policy goals, including its 2050 Carbon Neutrality roadmap. As Korea strengthens green public procurement rules and expands mandatory green product categories, the strategic importance of the label for market access is expected to grow. Foreign manufacturers exporting to Korea increasingly pursue the label to compete effectively with domestic suppliers in government tenders and environmentally conscious retail channels.

The Korean Ecolabel was established in 1992 by the Korean Ministry of Environment, making it one of the earliest national ecolabels in Asia. It was created in response to growing domestic concern about environmental degradation and to align South Korea with international trends in sustainable consumption following the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. The program was designed from the outset as a Type I ecolabel under what would later be formalized as ISO 14024, emphasizing third-party verification and lifecycle-based criteria.

Administration of the program was transferred to the Korea Environmental Industry & Technology Institute (KEITI) as the program grew in scope and complexity. Over the decades, the number of covered product categories expanded from a handful of product types to over 160 categories, reflecting the broadening of Korea's green economy ambitions. Key milestones include its integration into Korea's Green Products Promotion Act, which created mandatory green procurement obligations for public institutions, and periodic alignment of its criteria with international standards to facilitate mutual recognition discussions with other national ecolabel programs. Today the program is a cornerstone of Korea's national environmental policy and one of the most recognized product environmental labels in the Asia-Pacific region.