CAS 124-38-9 · K-REACH · Republic of Korea

Carbon dioxide (CO2) under K-REACH

CO2 · 二氧化碳

Status: Registered. Carbon dioxide is registered under K-REACH. NOT on Korea TCCA Toxic Chemicals list (verify against the current TCCA Toxic Chemicals list at https://www.nics.go.kr/ before relying). NOT on Korean Drug Management Act precursor list. NO active Korean AD/CVD case on Chinese-origin carbon dioxide currently. **Korea operates the Korea Emissions Trading Scheme (K-ETS) since 2015, covering CO2 emissions across power + industry + transport sectors (verify current K-ETS scope and Phase 4 (2026-2030) plan against the Korean Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Research Center before relying)**. Korea has substantial domestic industrial-CO2 production from refinery + ammonia + petrochemical captive sources (SK Innovation, GS Caltex, S-OIL, Lotte Chemical, Hanwha Solutions); structurally domestic-supplied. KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies for any Chinese-origin imports (rare).

K-REACH treats carbon dioxide as a routine registered substance with no TCCA overlay. Korea structurally domestic-supplied (SK Innovation + GS Caltex + S-OIL + Lotte Chemical + Hanwha Solutions captive). NO active Korean AD/CVD case. **Carbon dioxide distinguishing pattern across all 5 regimes**: Industrial CO2 sourced predominantly as captive by-product (ammonia decarbonator + SMR vent + ethanol-fermentation + EO-plant tail gas + flue-gas capture) rather than primary production + completes industrial-gas chain alongside hydrogen batch 47 + EU CBAM Phase 1 (Reg 2023/956) carbon currency since 1 October 2023 transitional + 1 January 2026 financial obligations + EU ETS (Directive 2003/87/EC) + US EPA GHGRP 40 CFR Part 98 + IRA Section 45Q tax credit for CCUS ($85 / $60 / $130 per tCO2) + China ETS national scheme since July 2021 + Australian Safeguard Mechanism (large emitters above 100,000 t CO2-e per year, 1 July 2023 reform with declining baselines + ACCU pathway) + Korea ETS since 2015 + food-grade E290 plus pharma medical CO2 plus supercritical CO2 plus shielding-gas welding plus EOR plus CCUS downstream chains + low hazard profile across regimes (Press. Gas + simple-asphyxiant) + OSHA PEL 5000 ppm + Korean / Australian / Chinese OEL 5000 ppm 8-hr TWA + 30000 ppm STEL.

Listing and threshold

Substance Carbon dioxide (CO2) (CAS 124-38-9), CO2
Regime Korea Act on the Registration and Evaluation of Chemicals (Act No. 11789, "K-REACH" amended 2018)
Jurisdiction Republic of Korea
Status Registered
Tonnage threshold K-REACH registration required for existing chemicals manufactured or imported >1 tonne/year (verified per Korean Ministry of Environment / NIER guidance, https://chemical.chemlinked.com/chempedia/k-reach; threshold for new substances was reduced from 0.1 t/y to 1 t/y effective 1 January 2025 per K-REACH 2025 amendment)

Classifications under this regime

  • Korean GHS classification: Press. Gas (compressed) or Press. Gas (refrigerated liquefied) + simple-asphyxiant
  • NOT on Korea TCCA Toxic Chemicals list
  • NOT on Korean Drug Management Act precursor list
  • Korean Customs Service (KCS) HS code: 281121
  • IARC: Not classified

Restrictions and conditions of use

  • No TCCA Toxic Chemicals Handling Permit required
  • KOSHA MSDS in Korean required at workplace (Press. Gas + simple-asphyxiant)
  • NO active Korean AD/CVD case on Chinese carbon dioxide currently
  • KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies (HS 281121)
  • **Korea ETS (K-ETS) since 2015** covering CO2 emissions across power + industry + transport sectors (verify current scope and Phase 4 2026-2030 plan against Korean Greenhouse Gas Inventory and Research Center before relying)

Importer obligations

Korean importer of record must hold K-REACH registration. Korea has substantial domestic industrial-CO2 production from refinery + ammonia + petrochemical captive sources (SK Innovation, GS Caltex, S-OIL, Lotte Chemical, Hanwha Solutions); structurally domestic-supplied with rare Chinese imports.

Required documents

  • K-REACH registration number on Korean side
  • Korean MSDS (Press. Gas + simple-asphyxiant)
  • KCS declaration with HS 281121
  • China-Korea FTA Form CO
  • K-ETS reporting where applicable

Common compliance traps

The pitfalls that have bitten importers on this lane in the past. None of these is theoretical.

  • Korea has substantial domestic industrial-CO2 production from refinery + ammonia + petrochemical captive sources
  • KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies
  • NO active Korean AD/CVD case
  • NOT on TCCA Toxic Chemicals list
  • **Korea ETS (K-ETS) since 2015** covering power + industry + transport

Where to read next

For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for carbon dioxide (co2), see the CAS 124-38-9 sourcing reference.

For grade-by-grade buying notes, freight maths, supplier-tier pricing, and a worked landed-cost example, the carbon dioxide (co2) cornerstone hub covers the full sourcing chain.

For the structure and history of K-REACH, see the K-REACH glossary entry.

Need cross-jurisdiction compliance support on this substance? Run it through the REACH / TSCA / IECSC / AICIS / K-REACH checker, or send us the substance and the destination and we will quote FOB China and CIF / DDP landed including the regulatory work on the destination side.

Read next

Cross-jurisdiction profile and sourcing references

Referenced in

5 pages across the Sourzi moat

This term shows up in 4 regulatory pages, 1 CAS profiles. Sample backlinks per content type below.

Regulatory (4)

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CAS (1)

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