Cosmetics responsible seller registration (화장품책임판매업 등록)

What is a cosmetics responsible seller, and which type should I register as?

A cosmetics responsible seller (화장품책임판매업) is a business that manages the quality and safety of the cosmetics it handles while distributing and selling them, or that arranges and delivers cosmetics for import-agency transactions. Even without its own manufacturing facility, a business needs this registration to distribute and sell cosmetics made under contract or imported, and the responsible sales type is entered on the registration certificate and the register.

There are four types. (1) Own manufacture: a registered cosmetics manufacturer distributes and sells cosmetics it manufactures itself; a separate cosmetics manufacturer registration is required. (2) Contract manufacture: the business distributes and sells cosmetics made for it by a cosmetics manufacturer; brands selling OEM or ODM products under their own name fall here. (3) Import: the business distributes and sells imported cosmetics. (4) Import-agency transactions: limited to e-commerce, the business arranges and delivers cosmetics for import-agency transactions.

If the type changes or a type is added after registration, a change registration is filed. A business registered only for import-agency transactions that changes to or adds own manufacture, contract manufacture or import must newly submit the quality control and post-market safety management rules and the responsible sales manager's qualification documents. Setting up a manufacturing facility is covered on the cosmetics manufacturer registration page.

Who can be a responsible sales manager, and what do they do?

A cosmetics responsible seller must appoint a responsible sales manager (책임판매관리자) to handle quality control and post-market safety management. The person must meet one of the following: (1) a medical doctor or pharmacist; (2) a bachelor's degree or higher in a science or engineering field, or in cosmetology, cosmetic science, Korean medicine, Korean herbal pharmacy, nursing, nursing science, health nursing or similar; (3) an associate degree in a cosmetics-related field such as chemistry, biology, chemical engineering, life science, cosmetology or cosmetic science, followed by at least 1 year in cosmetics manufacturing or quality control work; (4) completion of a specialised training course announced by the Minister of Food and Drug Safety (for announced product types only); (5) a pass in the customized cosmetics preparation manager (맞춤형화장품조제관리사) examination; (6) at least 2 years in cosmetics manufacturing or quality control work.

Where a responsible seller with 10 or fewer regular employees (for a corporation, its representative) meets one of these qualifications, that person may perform the manager's duties and is treated as having appointed a manager. A business registered only for import-agency transactions does not appoint a manager.

The manager's duties are quality control under the quality control standards, safety assurance under the post-market safety management standards, and supervision of the manufacturer's testing and inspection from receipt of raw materials to release of finished products. Initial training is due within 6 months from the date the person starts the role, followed by refresher training once a year; each session runs 4 to 8 hours. Failing to attend training is subject to an administrative fine of up to KRW 1 million. When a manager leaves, a notice of non-engagement in management duties may be filed (5 days per the form), and the new manager is reflected through a change registration.

What goes into the quality control and post-market safety management rules?

The application must attach rules on standards suitable for quality control and post-market safety management of cosmetics. These rules set out in writing the procedures the company will actually follow.

For quality control, a quality control procedure manual covers (1) securing proper manufacturing and quality control, (2) handling quality information and defects, (3) recalls, (4) education and training, (5) document and record control, and (6) records of market release, and requires the seller to confirm and record that the manufacturer produced the goods properly, to test each batch and record the results, and to record market releases. Quality control records and manufacturer supervision records are kept for 3 years from the manufacturing date (the import date for imports), and the original manual is kept where the manager works.

For post-market safety management, the rules cover collecting and recording safety information from academic societies, literature and research reports, reviewing it promptly, taking safety measures where needed such as recall, disposal, suspension of sale, revision of package inserts or reporting to the Minister of Food and Drug Safety, and reporting and keeping the plans and results in writing.

The import-agency type does not submit these rules, and some standards do not apply to it, including the manufacturing control procedure, education and training, market release records, batch testing and 3-year record keeping.

What are the application, attachments and processing period?

The cosmetics responsible seller registration application states the applicant's name (the representative for a corporation) and resident or alien registration number, the trade name and address of the business premises, the responsible sales manager's name and qualification category, the responsible sales type, and whether the applicant also runs a cosmetics manufacturing business. Two attachments are required: (1) the rules on standards suitable for quality control and post-market safety management, and (2) documents confirming the responsible sales manager's qualification. The import-agency type submits neither. For a corporation, the official checks the corporate register through shared administrative information.

The application goes to the head of the regional MFDS office with jurisdiction over the business premises and is processed in the order receipt, review, approval, preparation of the certificate and issue of the certificate. The processing period on the form is 10 days, with any supplementation period counted separately. Once requirements are met, the registration number and date, seller and trade name, address, manager and responsible sales type are entered in the register and a cosmetics responsible seller registration certificate is issued.

What grounds for disqualification prevent registration?

A person falling under any of the following cannot register as a cosmetics responsible seller: (1) a person under adult guardianship; (2) a person sentenced to imprisonment without labour or heavier for violating the Cosmetics Act (화장품법) or the Act on Special Measures for the Control of Public Health Crimes (보건범죄 단속에 관한 특별조치법) whose sentence has not been completed or exempted; (3) a person under a suspended sentence of imprisonment without labour or heavier for violating those Acts, during the suspension period; (4) a person for whom 1 year has not passed since registration was cancelled or the business was closed. The grounds of mental illness and drug addiction apply only to cosmetics manufacturers, so a responsible seller application does not attach a medical certificate.

If a disqualification ground arises after registration, the registration is cancelled. Operating without registration, or registering or changing registration by false or other wrongful means, may be punished by imprisonment of up to 3 years or a fine of up to KRW 30 million, and both may be imposed together.

What reports and change registrations follow registration?

(1) Change registration: if the seller (the representative for a corporation), trade name (corporate name), business premises address, responsible sales manager or responsible sales type changes, the change registration application and certificate are filed with the regional MFDS office within 30 days from the change (90 days for an address change caused by administrative district reorganisation). A move to an area under a different office is filed with the office for the new address. The form states 10 days for processing, and 7 days for a change of responsible sales manager.

(2) Performance and ingredient list reports: the previous year's production or import performance is reported to the Minister of Food and Drug Safety by the end of February each year through a cosmetics industry association such as the Korea Cosmetic Association (대한화장품협회), including the Korea Pharmaceutical Traders Association (한국의약품수출입협회), and the list of ingredients used in manufacture is reported before the cosmetics are distributed or sold, and again whenever it changes. Failing to report is subject to an administrative fine of up to KRW 1 million.

(3) Imported cosmetics: the seller prepares and keeps an import management record (수입관리기록서) covering the product name, specification and content of ingredients, country of manufacture, manufacturer name and address, certificate of manufacture and sale, a Korean-language product description sample, first import date, import date and quantity and quality test results by batch, and buyers, sale dates and quantities, and distributes only after testing each batch. The import type must file a standard customs clearance report (표준통관예정보고) as an electronic trade document, and a business importing this way may skip the import performance and ingredient list reports. The customs import declaration is a separate procedure within the scope of licensed customs brokers.

(4) Safety information: serious adverse events, or foreign government action equivalent to suspension of sale or recall, are reported promptly within 15 days of becoming aware of them, and other safety information is reported periodically within 1 month after the end of each half-year.

(5) Other stages: products claiming whitening, wrinkle improvement, UV protection and similar effects need a functional cosmetics review or report, and imported products need a review of full ingredient and precaution labelling. Preparing and keeping product safety data for products labelled or advertised for infants or children is already in force. Pre-market product-by-product cosmetics safety assessment is not yet in force and will be phased in from 1 January 2028. For businesses newly registered after the amended Act was promulgated on 30 December 2025, regardless of production or import scale, it applies from 1 January 2028 to businesses selling products that passed a functional cosmetics review or report after promulgation, from 1 January 2030 to businesses selling products first manufactured or imported and launched after promulgation, and from 1 January 2031 to other businesses; the import-agency type is excluded. Each stage is covered in detail on its own page.

How does a foreign cosmetics brand sell in Korea?

Because registration is made with the regional MFDS office for business premises in Korea, a foreign brand that wants to distribute and sell cosmetics in Korea needs a cosmetics responsible seller with premises in Korea. The usual choice is between (1) setting up a Korean corporation (subsidiary) that registers under the import type, and (2) having a Korean importer or distributor act as the responsible seller and import the products.

Either way, the Korean responsible seller carries the duties of keeping import management records, testing each batch, filing the standard customs clearance report, reporting production or import performance and ingredient lists, and reporting safety information. The package shows the business's trade name and address, and imported cosmetics also show the country of manufacture and the manufacturer's name and address, distinguished from any Korean cosmetics manufacturer. If the overseas manufacturer's quality control standards are mutually recognised between countries or recognised as at least equivalent to Korea's good cosmetics manufacturing practice standards, the seller may apply for an on-site inspection and, once recognised, skip testing in Korea.

A foreign applicant enters an alien registration number on the application. Registering a Korean corporation and filing customs import declarations are separate procedures from responsible seller registration.

What does an administrative agent do for responsible seller registration?

Once engaged by the client, YouSun Administrative Agency determines the responsible sales type, reviews disqualification grounds and the manager's qualifications in advance, supports drafting the quality control and post-market safety management rules, prepares and files the application and attachments, responds to requests for supplementation, and prepares change registrations, notices of non-engagement and closure notices. For performance and ingredient list reports and the standard customs clearance report, we explain the schedule and procedure.

We do not carry out testing or inspection, perform quality control work itself, file customs import declarations (licensed customs brokers) or file corporate registrations (법무사), and we do not take court or administrative appeal cases. Whether registration is granted is decided by the competent regional MFDS office.