Hydrogen (H2) under K-REACH
H2 · 氢气
Status: Registered. Hydrogen is registered under K-REACH and listed as a Priority Existing Chemical (PEC). NOT on Korea TCCA Toxic Chemicals list. NOT on Korean Drug Management Act precursor list. NO active Korean AD/CVD case. **Korean Hydrogen Economy Promotion and Hydrogen Safety Management Act 2020 (Korean Hydrogen Act)**: comprehensive hydrogen-economy regulatory framework (verify the current Act revisions and implementing regulations against the Korea Ministry of Trade Industry and Energy portal before relying). **Korean Hydrogen Strategy and 2050 Carbon Neutrality target** drives an aggressive hydrogen-economy build-out; specific 2030 plus 2040 plus 2050 demand figures (prior dataset cited 5.26 Mt/yr by 2030 plus 27.9 Mt/yr by 2050; verify against the most recent Korean Hydrogen Strategy update before relying). **Large-scale green-ammonia and green-hydrogen import contracts with Saudi NEOM and Australian Pilbara projects** are emerging (verify each individual contract counterparty plus volume plus delivery date against the relevant company press releases before relying on specific tonnage). KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies.
K-REACH treats hydrogen as a routine PEC-registered substance with no TCCA overlay. **Korean Hydrogen Economy Promotion and Hydrogen Safety Management Act 2020** comprehensive hydrogen-economy regulatory framework. **Korean Hydrogen Strategy 2019 + 2050 Carbon Neutrality** drives a major hydrogen-demand step-up by 2030 and 2050 (prior dataset cited 5.26 Mt/yr by 2030 + 27.9 Mt/yr by 2050; verify against the most recent Korean Hydrogen Strategy update before relying on specific tonnage). Korea structurally net-importer at scale via green-ammonia carrier imports from Australian Pilbara + Saudi NEOM mega-projects. **Hydrogen distinguishing pattern across all 5 regimes**: alongside ammonia batch 37 (~50% of global H2 demand) + methanol batch 3 (~25%) + petroleum refining (~20%) + chlor-alkali batch 45 co-product + Flam. Gas 1A + Press. Gas + IN CBAM PHASE 1 SCOPE (effective 1 January 2026) + grey vs green vs blue hydrogen production-route economics + emerging green-hydrogen economy (Australian Pilbara mega-projects 80+ GW total + Saudi NEOM + Korean + Japanese + EU import ambitions; IRA Section 45V PTC USD 0.60-3.00/kg + DOE Hydrogen Hub USD 7B; EU Hydrogen Strategy 10 Mt/yr renewable production + 10 Mt/yr import targets by 2030; Chinese 14th Five-Year Plan Hydrogen Industry Development Plan 2021-2035; Korean Hydrogen Strategy 2019 + 2050 Carbon Neutrality).
Listing and threshold
| Substance | Hydrogen (H2) (CAS 1333-74-0), H2 |
|---|---|
| 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: Flam. Gas 1A (H220), Press. Gas
- NOT on Korea TCCA Toxic Chemicals list
- Korean Customs Service (KCS) HS code: 280410
- **Korean Hydrogen Economy Promotion and Hydrogen Safety Management Act 2020 (Korean Hydrogen Act)**: comprehensive hydrogen-economy regulatory framework
Restrictions and conditions of use
- No TCCA Toxic Chemicals Handling Permit required
- Korea Industrial Safety and Health Act (KOSHA) MSDS in Korean required
- NO active Korean AD/CVD case
- KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies
- **Korean Hydrogen Act**: comprehensive hydrogen-economy regulatory framework
Importer obligations
The Korean importer of record must hold K-REACH registration. **H2 is structurally NOT internationally traded as compressed gas at scale**. **Korean Hydrogen Strategy 2019 + 2050 Carbon Neutrality** drives a major step-up in hydrogen demand by 2030 and 2050 (prior dataset cited 5.26 Mt/yr by 2030 + 27.9 Mt/yr by 2050; verify against the most recent Korean Hydrogen Strategy update before relying on specific tonnage); Korea will be net-importer at scale via green-ammonia carrier (batch 37) imports from Australian Pilbara + Saudi NEOM mega-projects.
Required documents
- K-REACH registration number on Korean side
- Korean-language MSDS reflecting H220 classification
- Korean Customs Service (KCS) declaration with HS code 280410
- China-Korea FTA Form CO
Common compliance traps
The pitfalls that have bitten importers on this lane in the past. None of these is theoretical.
- **Korean Hydrogen Strategy 2019 + 2050 Carbon Neutrality** drives a major hydrogen-demand step-up by 2030 and 2050 (prior dataset cited 5.26 Mt/yr by 2030 + 27.9 Mt/yr by 2050; verify against the most recent Korean Hydrogen Strategy update before relying on specific tonnage)
- **Korean Hydrogen Economy Promotion and Hydrogen Safety Management Act 2020** comprehensive regulatory framework
- Major 2024 large-scale green-ammonia / green-hydrogen import contracts with Saudi NEOM + Australian Pilbara mega-projects
- Korea structurally net-importer at scale via green-ammonia carrier imports
- **H2 is structurally NOT internationally traded as compressed gas at scale**
- Korean fuel-cell EV (Hyundai Nexo) and fuel-cell electrical generation (Doosan + LS) drive domestic hydrogen demand
Where to read next
For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for hydrogen (h2), see the CAS 1333-74-0 sourcing reference.
For grade-by-grade buying notes, freight maths, supplier-tier pricing, and a worked landed-cost example, the hydrogen (h2) 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
Regulatory
Hydrogen (H2) under REACH
European Union listing status, classifications, importer obligations.
Regulatory
Hydrogen (H2) under TSCA
United States of America listing status, classifications, importer obligations.
Regulatory
Hydrogen (H2) under IECSC
People's Republic of China listing status, classifications, importer obligations.
Regulatory
Hydrogen (H2) under AICIS
Australia listing status, classifications, importer obligations.
Glossary
K-REACH, K-REACH
South Korean Act on the Registration and Evaluation of Chemicals, the Korean equivalent of EU REACH. Requires registration of substances manufactured in or imported into Korea above 1 tonne per year. Administered by the Ministry of Environment through NIER. Includes phase-in registration tiers, joint submission requirements, and a designated 'Only Representative' mechanism for non-Korean manufacturers.
Referenced in
4 pages across the Sourzi moat
This term shows up in 4 regulatory pages. Sample backlinks per content type below.
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.