CAS 64-17-5 · K-REACH · Republic of Korea

Ethanol (ethyl alcohol) under K-REACH

C2H6O · 乙醇

Status: Registered. Ethanol 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 on Chinese-origin ethanol. Korea has limited domestic ethanol production; structurally net-importer for fuel-grade + industrial-grade + alcoholic-beverage applications. KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies for Chinese-origin imports.

K-REACH treats ethanol as a routine PEC-registered substance with no TCCA overlay. Korea has limited domestic ethanol production; structurally net-importer. **Korean Liquor Tax Act** parallel regulation for alcoholic-beverage ethanol. **Ethanol distinguishing pattern across all 5 regimes**: fuel-grade ethanol blending mandates (E10 + E15 + E85, ~70% globally driven by US + Brazil) + sugarcane / corn fermentation route (~70% globally) vs ethylene hydration synthetic route (~30%) + IARC Group 1 for alcoholic-beverage consumption (NOT industrial use) + extensive alcoholic-beverage taxation regime parallel to industrial regulation (US TTB + EU Reg 2019/787 spirit drinks + Australian Wine and Spirits Excise + Korean Liquor Tax Act + Chinese liquor tax) + Brazilian sugarcane-fermented ethanol carries lower carbon footprint than US corn-fermented + closes glycerol batch 35 chain via biodiesel co-production.

Listing and threshold

Substance Ethanol (ethyl alcohol) (CAS 64-17-5), C2H6O
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. Liq. 2 (H225), Eye Irrit. 2 (H319)
  • Signal word: DANGER. GHS pictograms: GHS02 + GHS07
  • Korea Occupational Safety and Health Act (KOSHA) workplace exposure standard: 1,000 ppm 8-hr TWA
  • NOT on Korea TCCA Toxic Chemicals list
  • NOT on Korean Drug Management Act precursor list
  • Korean Customs Service (KCS) HS codes: 220720, 220710
  • **Korean Liquor Tax Act** parallel regulation for alcoholic-beverage ethanol
  • **IARC: Group 1 for alcoholic-beverage consumption (NOT industrial use)**

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 Liquor Tax Act** parallel regulation for alcoholic-beverage ethanol

Importer obligations

The Korean importer of record must hold K-REACH registration. Korea has limited domestic ethanol production; structurally net-importer.

Required documents

  • K-REACH registration number on Korean side
  • Korean-language MSDS
  • Korean Customs Service (KCS) declaration with HS code 220720 or 220710
  • China-Korea FTA Form CO
  • Korean Liquor Tax Act documentation for alcoholic-beverage applications

Common compliance traps

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

  • Korea has limited domestic ethanol production; structurally net-importer
  • KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies
  • NO active Korean AD/CVD case
  • NOT on TCCA Toxic Chemicals list
  • **Korean Liquor Tax Act** parallel regulation for alcoholic-beverage ethanol

Where to read next

For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for ethanol (ethyl alcohol), see the CAS 64-17-5 sourcing reference.

For grade-by-grade buying notes, freight maths, supplier-tier pricing, and a worked landed-cost example, the ethanol (ethyl alcohol) 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

6 pages across the Sourzi moat

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

Regulatory (4)

Plus 1 more regulatory pages.

Topic cluster (1)

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.