KGS factory registration
What is KGS factory registration for Korea, and why is it important for exports of pressure vessels to Korea?
The KGS factory registration for certain high-pressure and gas appliances was established to ensure that only manufacturers conforming to certain quality and safety requirements are allowed to export their products to Korea. The Korea Gas Safety Corporation (KGS) has been entrusted with the approval process for this product certification. After confirmation of conformity through a technical review and an audit, a factory registration will be issued by the Ministry of Trade, Industry & Energy (MOTIE).
The main goal of this Korean product certification is to prevent accidents caused by equipment not conforming to Korean standards or imported from unapproved manufacturers. Therefore, the authority requires the inspection and verification of manufacturing and quality-ensuring capabilities, before allowing the products to be imported into Korea.
KGS factory registration relevant products:
High-Pressure Gas Cylinders etc.
(subject to the High-Pressure Gas Safety Act) |
|
1 | Cylinders (excluded if internal volume is less than 300ml) |
2 | Cylinder Accessories (valves and safety valves) |
3 | Storage Tanks |
4 | Pressure Vessels (Heat Exchanger or Drum, Tower, Reactors & others)
(applies to pressure vessels whose value of multiplying design pressure (MPa) and volume (m³) exceeds 0.004 as the pressure or if the design pressure is 0.2 MPa or more for liquid gas at 35 ℃ and 1MPa or more for compressed gas at 35 ℃) |
5 | High-Pressure Gas Tanks Fixed on Vehicles |
6 | Emergency cut-off devices for high-pressure gases |
7 | Safety valves for high-pressure gases |
8 | Valves for toxic gas pipes |
9 | Specified equipment for refrigeration:
Compressors, Condensers, evaporators and pressure vessels |
Gas appliances
(subject to the Safety Control and Business of Liquefied Petroleum Gas Act) |
|
1 | Pressure Regulators |
2 | Automatic Shut-off Device for Gas Leakage |
3 | Filters for Governor Stations |
4 | Governors for Underground Use |
5 | Hoses for Gases |
6 | Valves for Pipes |
7 | Gas Cocks |
8 | Joints for Pipes |
9 | Forced Mixing Type Gas Burners |
10 | Gas Burning Appliances |
11 | Multifunctional Gas Meters |
12 | Loading Arms |
13 | Gas Fuel Cells |
14 | Multifunctional boilers |
KGS Certification Process:
The process for the factory registration is as follows:
KGS factory registration application:
When applying for the KGS approval for pressure vessels in Korea and above mentioned product categories, international standards can be used as a basis. For example, a factory registration for pressure vessels or safety valves can use ASME Sec.VIII, Div.1 or PED + AD2000 as a basis, which will also be documented on the factory registration certificate.
As part of the application documents for the technical review the manufacturer needs to provide for example lists of production and test equipment, process diagrams, a list of subcontracted items, and a dedicated quality control manual.
Normally the initial factory audit takes multiple days (usually 3-4 days). This can vary depending on the number of categories and standards, that are being applied for. Additional time needs to be factored in for the KGS approval, if KGS determines that auditing certain subcontractors is necessary as well.
Should non-conformities be documented during the audit, an on-site re-audit might be necessary for major non-conformities, while a document re-audit can be sufficient to resolve minor non-conformities. Re-audits are normally limited to the scope of corrective actions for the non-conformities.
The KGS registration has a validity of 3 years, after which a follow-up audit is required to extend the validity by 3 additional years.
For certain changes or adding additional product categories or standards, a dedicated audit will normally be required. These audits focus on the changed or newly added items and will not extend the existing validity of the KGS registration.
For certain pressure vessels and safety valves in Korea, a KCs certification could be required in addition to a KGS factory registration. If so, the KGS certification is the first step and a prerequisite for a KCs certification.
Presented by Julian Busch, director of Korea Certification:
You can also watch this video on our Video Channel.
KGS factory registration services
The shortest route to a KGS Korea certification is our all-inclusive package. We understand that Korea certifications can be complex for manufacturers, which is why we competently cater to your needs at every level by providing the following services:
- Checking the necessity of certification for products for the Korean market.
- Complete application preparation (including assistance with form completion, preparation of the documentation, communication with the certification authority, and handling the necessary payments)
- Complete audit preparation, including application, coordination and communication with the certification authority, document exchange, handling of payments, pre-audit, as well as providing the required documents, information and checklists for the audit preparation)
- Complete support during the audit, including travel planning, organization of inspection program and an experienced interpreter
- Consultation on marking best practices, and templates for product labeling
- Complete organization of annual follow-up audits
Established in 2005, we have a long-standing market presence and excellent relationships with the relevant Asian authorities and test labs.
Join the many industry leaders we count among our clients and take advantage of our speed and accuracy to obtain your Korea certification with minimal hassle and first class service. If you have any questions or would like to know how we can serve you, please send us an email or call us under +49-69-2713769259.
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