CAS 1310-58-3 · K-REACH · Republic of Korea

Potassium hydroxide (caustic potash) under K-REACH

KOH · 氢氧化钾

Status: Registered. Potassium hydroxide is registered under K-REACH and listed as a Priority Existing Chemical (PEC). Korean GHS classification matches REACH (Skin Corr. 1A, Acute Tox. 4 oral, Met. Corr. 1). NOT on Korea TCCA Toxic Chemicals list (lighter than phenol batch 13). NOT on Korean Drug Management Act precursor list. **Korea has substantial domestic KOH production** (LG Chem Yeosu, Hanwha Solutions Yeosu, Lotte Chemical Yeosu chlor-alkali integration); structurally balanced or modestly net-importer depending on year. KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies for Chinese-origin imports. Korean end-use: alkaline-battery electrolyte (Samsung SDI, LG Energy Solution, SK Innovation premium) is grade-defining application.

K-REACH treats potassium hydroxide as a routine PEC-registered substance with no TCCA overlay (lighter than phenol batch 13). Korea has **substantial domestic chlor-alkali integration at Yeosu** (LG Chem, Hanwha Solutions, Lotte Chemical) producing both NaOH and KOH; structurally balanced or modestly net-importer depending on year. **Battery-grade KOH** is the grade-defining premium application: Samsung SDI, LG Energy Solution, SK Innovation alkaline-battery electrolyte demand drives ~3-5x industrial-grade pricing premium for 99.9%+ purity, low Cl-/Na+/Fe specifications. Korean BEV / ESS battery growth drives substantial captive battery-grade demand. NO active Korean AD/CVD case. KCFTA preferential zero-duty supports Chinese-origin supplemental supply. **KOH is the K-analogue of caustic soda (batch 1 mirror)** at ~30:1 smaller market scale. The Korean battery-grade KOH lane is structurally distinct from the biodiesel-grade KOH lane (Australia + EU); grade-specification differentiation drives lane-specific pricing.

Listing and threshold

Substance Potassium hydroxide (caustic potash) (CAS 1310-58-3), KOH
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: Acute Tox. 4 oral (H302), Skin Corr. 1A (H314), Met. Corr. 1 (H290)
  • Signal word: DANGER. GHS pictograms: GHS05 + GHS07
  • Korea Occupational Safety and Health Act (KOSHA) workplace exposure standard: 2 mg/m³ ceiling
  • NOT on Korea TCCA Toxic Chemicals list
  • NOT on Korean Drug Management Act precursor list
  • Korean Customs Service (KCS) HS code: 281520 (solid) or 281530 (solution)
  • Listed in K-REACH database under "general industrial use, corrosive substance"
  • NOT classified as carcinogen, mutagen, or reproductive toxicant under Korean GHS
  • Korean Food Standards Codex Article 4 permits KOH as food additive E 525

Restrictions and conditions of use

  • No TCCA Toxic Chemicals Handling Permit required
  • No Chemical Accident Prevention Plan (CAPP) required (lighter than phenol batch 13)
  • No Korean Drug Management Act precursor obligations
  • Korea Industrial Safety and Health Act (KOSHA) MSDS in Korean required at workplace
  • Korea Customs Service requires K-REACH registration number on import declaration
  • No active Korean AD/CVD case on Chinese-origin potassium hydroxide currently
  • KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies to Chinese-origin KOH (HS 281520 / 281530); verify producer-specific eligibility (Form CO certified by Chinese authority)
  • Korea Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) Food Codex applies for food-grade lots

Importer obligations

The Korean importer of record must hold K-REACH registration in their own name or rely on an Only Representative (OR). For KOH this is a routine PEC registration with no TCCA overlay. Korea has substantial domestic chlor-alkali integration at Yeosu (LG Chem, Hanwha Solutions, Lotte Chemical) producing both NaOH and KOH; supplemental imports flow during plant outages and grade-specific applications. **Alkaline-battery electrolyte grade KOH** (Samsung SDI, LG Energy Solution, SK Innovation) is the grade-defining premium application for Korean lane: battery-grade purity (~99.9% min, low Cl- + low Na+ + low Fe specifications) commands ~3-5x industrial-grade pricing. Korean BEV / ESS battery growth drives substantial captive demand.

Required documents

  • K-REACH registration number on Korean side (registrant or OR-appointed)
  • Korean-language MSDS compliant with Korean GHS reflecting H290 / H302 / H314 classification
  • Korean Customs Service (KCS) declaration with HS code 281520 (solid) or 281530 (solution)
  • China-Korea FTA Form CO certificate of origin for preferential treatment
  • Industrial-grade specification certificate (minimum 95.0% purity) OR battery-grade specification (99.9% min, low Cl-/Na+/Fe)
  • KFDA Food Codex conformity declaration for food-grade lots

Common compliance traps

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

  • Korean GHS hazard-statement codes use H-codes mapped to Korean translations; SDS in English-only is rejected at workplace inspection
  • Korea has substantial domestic chlor-alkali integration at Yeosu (LG Chem, Hanwha Solutions, Lotte Chemical) producing both NaOH and KOH; supplemental imports flow during plant outages and grade-specific applications
  • **Battery-grade KOH** is the grade-defining premium application: Samsung SDI, LG Energy Solution, SK Innovation alkaline-battery electrolyte demand drives ~3-5x industrial-grade pricing premium for 99.9%+ purity, low Cl-/Na+/Fe specifications
  • KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies but verify producer-specific eligibility (Form CO certified by Chinese authority)
  • No active Korean AD/CVD case on Chinese KOH currently
  • Korean BEV / ESS battery growth drives substantial captive battery-grade KOH demand
  • Biodiesel transesterification (KOH catalyst + methanol batch 3) chain demand is smaller for Korean lane than for EU / Australian lanes
  • Major Chinese producers competing in Korean lane: Sinopec Beijing, Wansheng Chemical Anhui, Hubei Sanonda, Qingdao Soda Industry Shandong

Where to read next

For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for potassium hydroxide (caustic potash), see the CAS 1310-58-3 sourcing reference.

For grade-by-grade buying notes, freight maths, supplier-tier pricing, and a worked landed-cost example, the potassium hydroxide (caustic potash) 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)

Plus 1 more regulatory pages.

CAS (1)

Free download

Free PDF: the same MSDS verification template the Sourzi team uses to cross-reference factory documents against TSCA, REACH, AICIS, and CDR before booking.