Testing Lab of Power Supply/ IT / AV Products

Battery packs exported to South Korea must obtain KC (Korea Certification) under the Electrical Appliances and Household Goods Safety Control Act. This guide explains the KC certification requirements for lithium battery packs, common compliance issues, and the application process.

KC Certification Scope for Battery Packs

Lithium battery packs subject to KC certification include:

• Lithium-ion battery packs (energy density >400Wh/L) for portable devices

• Lithium polymer battery packs

• Battery packs for electric scooters, e-bikes, and power tools

Applicable standards:

KC 62133-2　Secondary lithium cells and batteries — Safety requirements (portable applications)

KC 62619　Secondary lithium cells and batteries — Safety requirements (industrial applications)

Battery packs must be certified as complete assemblies, even if individual cells already hold KC certification.

Common Compliance Issues

Based on practical testing experience, these are the most frequent issues encountered in battery pack KC certification:

• BMS protection insufficient:Overcharge protection must trigger at the cell-level voltage limit (typically 4.25V/cell for NMC). Some BMS designs allow momentary voltage overshoot before triggering, which is not acceptable under KC 62133-2

• Overcharge test failure:The KC 62133-2 overcharge test requires charging at 10V (or manufacturer-specified voltage) with all protection circuits except one disabled. The battery must not fire or explode within 7 hours

• External short circuit at 55°C:Battery packs must pass short circuit testing at both 20°C and 55°C. The 55°C test is frequently failed due to thermal propagation between cells

• Missing cell-level KC certification:KC 62133-2 requires that cells used in battery packs must have their own KC certification or be tested together with the pack

KC Certification Process

1. ①Application:Submit application to a KC certification body designated by KATS

1. ②Sample testing:Full KC 62133-2 testing at a KATS-designated testing laboratory

1. ③Factory inspection:Initial production facility audit by the certification body

1. ④Certificate issuance:KC certificate issued after successful testing and inspection

Timeline: 8-14 weeks for new applications. CB report conversion can reduce this to 4-6 weeks. Certificate validity: 5 years with annual surveillance inspections. GTG Group provides battery pack KC certification consulting and testing coordination.

Labeling and Post-Market Requirements

• KC mark with certification body identification number on the battery pack label

• Korean language safety warnings and specifications

• Manufacturer name and country of origin in Korean

• Annual surveillance inspections by the certification body are mandatory

This article is AI-assisted and for reference only. It does not constitute any certification commitment or legal advice. Please refer to the latest official regulations.

Contact: 18826804895 | net01@gtggroup.com