South Korea passes law banning use of animal testing for cosmetic products

South Korea has passed a law which will see a ban on the use of animal testing for cosmetics and cosmetics ingredients.

The National Assembly’s Health and Welfare Committee has given its consent to the bill on 26 November.

The law, which will come into effect from 2018, will authorise the use of non-animal alternative tests for cosmetics. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has approved such alternatives.

The law will be applicable to cosmetics manufactured in and imported into South Korea.

The law, however, does not impose a complete ban on cosmetics animal testing and trade, as animal testing will continue to be used in methods where alternatives are not available in Korea or have not been developed so far.

Non-government organisation Humane Society International (HSI) has welcomed the move but said that the OECD-approved alternatives should be implemented as soon as possible by the companies in Korea to reduce the impact of cosmetic testing on animals.

HSI said that it would work on securing increased funding for alternative development as well as focus on obtaining regulatory approval for authorised alternatives like acute toxicity and skin sensitisation.