S. Korea's new lithium battery rules not trade-restricting: official

By Lee Joon-seung
SEOUL, June 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's plan to strengthen safety rules for
rechargeable lithium batteries reflects consumer concerns and is not
trade-restrictive, a government official said Tuesday.

Under the changed requirements to be effective in July, all lithium battery
products used in mobile phones, laptop computers and various portable devices
must undergo the highest level of safety tests to withstand heat, high humidity
and impact.
"The new rules are in response to steady public demand for safer products," said
Song Jae-bin, head of the product safety bureau at the Korean Agency for
Technology and Standards (KATS). "They apply to both local and foreign companies,
so are not discriminatory."
Seoul outlined its intention to change safety rules in October, and circulated
details of the measures among World Trade Organization (WTO) members for 60 days
without objections being raised, he said.
Song's remarks come after news reports on Monday said Tokyo has concerns about
the new rules. Japan currently controls 60 percent of the world's lithium battery
market, trailed by South Korea.
According to a Japanese newspaper, Tokyo claimed that the latest measures could
hurt its presence in the South Korean market and can be construed as a violation
of fair trade rules set by the WTO.
Song added that accredited overseas laboratories will be allowed to conduct all
tests and issue safety certificates, together with four local agencies.
"Foreign countries can recommend laboratories and testing agencies so safety
checks can be conducted in their own countries," he said.
yonngong@yna.co.kr
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