Iodine (I2) under K-REACH
I2 · 碘
Status: Registered. Iodine is registered under K-REACH. **Drug Precursor scheduling under Korean Act on Control of Narcotics (마약류 관리에 관한 법률) administered by MFDS + Ministry of Justice; verify exact category + concentration threshold against https://www.mfds.go.kr/ before invoicing.** NO active Korean AD/CVD case on Chinese-origin iodine; Korea is structurally a net-importer with significant import dependency on Chile (SQM) + Japan (Iwate / Chiba gas-well) + China (limited supply) for pharma + LCD-polariser-PVA-film + animal-feed + disinfectant sectors. KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies for Chinese-origin imports.
K-REACH treats iodine as a registered substance with **Drug Precursor permit overlay under Korean Act on Control of Narcotics (verify exact category + concentration threshold against MFDS)**. Korea is structurally a net-importer; primary sources Chile (SQM Atacama caliche-ore) + Japan (Iwate / Chiba gas-well) + China (limited). **Iodine distinguishing pattern across all 5 regimes**: Globally extracted from Chilean caliche-ore brines (SQM Atacama dominant) + Japanese gas-well brines (Iwate + Chiba) + US Oklahoma gas-well brines (Iofina) + Russian gas-well brines; China is structurally a net-importer; **Drug Precursor / essential-chemical scheduling overlay across US (DEA List II, 21 CFR 1310.02(b), 0.4 kg cumulative reporting threshold) + China (易制毒化学品管理条例 2005, MPS + NMPA + SAMR) + Australia (Crimes (Drug Precursors) Act 2008, Department of Home Affairs EUD) + Korea (Act on Control of Narcotics, MFDS)** while EU is NOT scheduled (Reg 273/2004 + Reg 2015/1011 do NOT cover iodine); **pharma (iohexol + iopromide + amiodarone contrast media + povidone-iodine) + LCD-polariser-PVA-film (Korea LG Display / Samsung Display major buyer) + animal-feed (EDDI + iodised salt via KIO3 / KI) + disinfectant downstream chains** with mid hazard profile (Skin Irrit. 2 + Eye Irrit. 2 + STOT SE 3 + Acute Tox. 4 inhalation) + IARC not classified + ADR / DOT / GB / ADG / KCS UN 3495 Class 8 PG III + USP / Ph. Eur. / ChP / KP / JP pharma-grade overlay.
Listing and threshold
| Substance | Iodine (I2) (CAS 7553-56-2), I2 |
|---|---|
| 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: Skin Irrit. 2 + Eye Irrit. 2 + STOT SE 3 + Acute Tox. 4 inhalation (verify against current MoE / NIER GHS before relying)
- **Drug Precursor scheduling under Korean Act on Control of Narcotics (마약류 관리에 관한 법률); verify exact category + concentration threshold against https://www.mfds.go.kr/ before relying**
- NOT typically on Korea TCCA Toxic Chemicals list at elemental level (verify against the current TCCA Toxic Chemicals list at https://www.nics.go.kr/ before relying)
- Korean Customs Service (KCS) HS code: 280120
- Korean MoEL OEL: 0.1 ppm ceiling typically (verify against current MoEL Industrial Safety + Health Act OEL list at https://www.moel.go.kr/ before relying)
- **KP (Korean Pharmacopoeia) monograph** for pharma-grade iodine + iodine tincture + povidone-iodine
- IARC: Not classified
Restrictions and conditions of use
- **Drug Precursor permit + record-keeping required under Korean Act on Control of Narcotics** (verify exact category + concentration threshold against https://www.mfds.go.kr/ before invoicing)
- KOSHA MSDS in Korean required at workplace (Skin Irrit. 2 + Eye Irrit. 2 + STOT SE 3 + Acute Tox. 4 inhalation)
- NO active Korean AD/CVD case on Chinese-origin iodine; Korea is structurally a net-importer
- KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies (HS 280120)
- Korean DOT-equivalent UN 3495 Class 8 PG III where consigned in transport quantity
Importer obligations
Korean importer of record must hold K-REACH registration + **Drug Precursor permit under Korean Act on Control of Narcotics**. Korea is structurally a net-importer with significant Chile (SQM) + Japan (Iwate / Chiba gas-well) + China (limited) import dependency.
Required documents
- K-REACH registration number on Korean side
- **Drug Precursor permit (MFDS + Ministry of Justice)** per Korean Act on Control of Narcotics
- Korean MSDS (Skin Irrit. 2 + Eye Irrit. 2 + STOT SE 3 + Acute Tox. 4 inhalation)
- KCS declaration with HS 280120
- China-Korea FTA Form CO
- KP monograph documentation where pharma-grade
Common compliance traps
The pitfalls that have bitten importers on this lane in the past. None of these is theoretical.
- **Drug Precursor permit + record-keeping required under Korean Act on Control of Narcotics (verify exact category + concentration threshold against https://www.mfds.go.kr/)**
- Korea is structurally a net-importer with significant Chile (SQM) + Japan + China import dependency
- KCFTA preferential zero-duty applies
- NO active Korean AD/CVD case
- NOT typically on TCCA Toxic Chemicals list at elemental level
- **Pharma + LCD-polariser-film (Korea is a major LCD-polariser producer; LG Display + Samsung Display) + animal-feed + povidone-iodine disinfectant downstream chains**
Where to read next
For substance-level identifiers (formula, molecular weight, SMILES, InChIKey), GHS hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and full sourcing reference for iodine (i2), see the CAS 7553-56-2 sourcing reference.
For grade-by-grade buying notes, freight maths, supplier-tier pricing, and a worked landed-cost example, the iodine (i2) 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
Iodine (I2) under REACH
European Union listing status, classifications, importer obligations.
Regulatory
Iodine (I2) under TSCA
United States of America listing status, classifications, importer obligations.
Regulatory
Iodine (I2) under IECSC
People's Republic of China listing status, classifications, importer obligations.
Regulatory
Iodine (I2) under AICIS
Australia listing status, classifications, importer obligations.
CAS
CAS 7553-56-2 sourcing reference
Identifiers, hazard profile, IMDG transport class, and supplier geography for Iodine (I2).
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
5 pages across the Sourzi moat
This term shows up in 4 regulatory pages, 1 CAS profiles. 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.