The Korea Energy Administration (KEA) has recently updated its Regulations on the Operation of Efficiency Management Equipment, marking a further strengthening and refinement of the Korean government's management of the energy efficiency of some electrical equipment. The revision includes three main aspects:

Firstly, it expands the scope of energy efficiency management targets, such as adding energy efficiency standards for dishwashers and portable air conditioners in grades 1-5, and expanding the scope of application of the standards for clothes dryers from the original 20KG to less than 25KG, and these new regulations will be formally implemented as of 1 January 2025 and 1 April 2024, respectively.

Secondly, for air purifiers, cold and hot water heaters, dehumidifiers and set-top boxes, the efficiency ratings have been adjusted, not only raising the energy efficiency benchmarks, but also making changes to the management system of some products, such as cold and hot water heaters, which will adopt the Minimum Consumption Efficiency Standard System instead of the original rating system, and optimising the labelling content of dehumidifiers, and the above adjustments will be enforced from 1 July 2024 onwards.

Finally, there are also changes to the rating system. Straight LED lamps and water pumps will be converted from High Efficiency to MEPS, while computers and photocopiers will be converted from the Standby Power Consumption Reduction Programme (E-Standby) to MEPS, with the establishment of a new energy efficiency class or minimum consumption efficiency standard. These changes will also come into effect on 1 January 2025.

As the text mentions two kinds of energy efficiency certificates, MEPS and E-Standby, the following is a brief overview of the differences and precautions between MEPS and E-Standby for your reference:

       ①     MEPS and E-Standby just control different product categories (specific control list can be obtained by contacting BTL). Regardless of E-Standby or MEPS, the uploading and certification action must be carried out within the validity period of the report, otherwise the report will be invalid. Both certifications require one model, one certificate, and both certificates are permanently valid.

②After the E-Standby test report comes out, the holder (the actual importer/distributor in Korea) must go to the KEA website to log in and upload the official report to obtain the certificate, the report is valid for 60 days.

③After the MEPS test report comes out, the licensee (the actual importer/distributor in Korea) has to go to KEMCO website to log in and upload the official report to get the certificate, and the report is valid for 90 days.

④ E-Standby has two kinds of symbols, one is as shown in the figure below, "smiley e" symbol, and the other is as shown in the figure below, "exclamation point ! " logo.

For products that have obtained energy efficiency certification can choose to stick or not stick the energy saving logo (voluntary stick/no stick).

For products that have not obtained the energy efficiency certification is mandatory to post the standby power warning signs (mandatory to post).

 ⑤ MEPS also has two types of marks, for TV, home appliances, lamps and lanterns as shown in the mark below left, and for adapters and chargers as shown in the mark below right.

This series of amendments in Korea aims to promote manufacturers to improve the energy efficiency of their products and promote energy saving and emission reduction. As a professional organisation with more than 20 years of experience in Korea, BTL can provide certification services for all the above controlled products, helping companies to meet the new requirements and enter the Korean market smoothly. Please contact BTL's International Department or BTL's Business Department for more information.