Contents
- Selling without an entity vs. registering yourself
- Documents and timelines
- How we help
- FAQ
Imported cosmetics can be distributed and sold in Korea only by a business registered as a cosmetics responsible distributor (화장품책임판매업) with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS). Registration is filed with the regional MFDS office for the distributor's business location, so a brand with no Korean company or office has two routes: sell through a registered Korean importer, or open an office in Korea and register itself. Selling without registration is a criminal offence.
The importer's own registration is covered in our cosmetics import registration guide, and first-time requirements in our responsible distributor guide.
Selling without an entity vs. registering yourself
| Situation | Route |
|---|---|
| You want to start fast with no Korean company | Contract a registered Korean distributor. It keeps the import record, tests each batch and releases the products, and its name and address appear on the packaging. |
| You want to control the brand directly | Set up a company or office in Korea and register, with quality and post-sale safety standards and a responsible manager. |
| You claim whitening, anti-wrinkle or sun protection | On either route, functional cosmetics need a product review or a report. |
Even with an importer, the brand supplies much of the data. The import record covers the product name, ingredient specifications and amounts, country, maker and address, a certificate of manufacture and sale, a Korean-language product description and batch test results, so having these ready speeds up negotiations.
- Choose the route: importer or own registration.
- Check ingredients against Korea's banned and restricted lists.
- Prepare the certificate of manufacture and sale and ingredient data.
- For your own registration, secure an office and a responsible manager, then apply.
- After customs, test each batch and release.
Documents and timelines
| Item | Documents | Timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Own registration | Application, rules on quality and post-sale safety standards, manager qualification documents | Certificate issued after review by the regional MFDS office |
| Each imported product | Import record, certificate of manufacture and sale, Korean description, test results | Released after batch testing |
| After registration | Ingredient list, last year's import results | Ingredient list before sale; import results by the end of February each year |
The responsible manager must hold a set qualification, such as a doctor or pharmacist, a science or cosmetics-related degree, or relevant experience. With 10 or fewer regular employees, a qualified owner may act as the manager.
On either route, the responsible distributor answers for product safety in Korea. It reports safety information such as side effects and, if a harmful product is on the market, reports a recall plan in advance and recalls it. Agree with your importer who handles this and with what data.
How we help
YouSun Administrative Agency lists what to check before signing with an importer, and for your own registration prepares the standards rules and application, files them and handles corrections. For functional claims we also prepare the functional cosmetics review or report.
FAQ
Q. Can our overseas head office register directly?
A. The application goes to the regional office for the business location, so you need a business location in Korea. Without one, an importer is the practical route.
Q. What if we change importers?
A. The new importer prepares its own import record, testing and labeling. The name and address on the packaging change too, so check your stock labels.
Q. In whose name is the functional cosmetics review done?
A. A manufacturer, a responsible distributor or a designated university or institute files it product by product. Without a Korean entity, it is usually done in the Korean distributor's name.
Q. Must products made in our own factory be tested again?
A. Imported cosmetics are in principle tested by batch before release, but testing can be skipped if a designated testing body already has batch results.
Decide the route first
Send us your product list, ingredient sheets and factory details, and YouSun Administrative Agency will set out the right route and documents. Call 02-325-8222, weekdays 09:30~17:30 KST.
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