▲ Visitors look around the exhibition at "InterCHARM Korea 2026," a trade show for finished cosmetics, held at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on July 1, 2026. (Yonhap)

 

SEOUL, Aug. 21 (Yonhap) -- The government will draw up a comprehensive five-year plan to promote the cosmetics industry and introduce a certification system for innovative cosmetics companies under a newly enacted law, the health ministry said Friday.

 

The Ministry of Health and Welfare said the bill on the promotion and support of the cosmetics industry passed the National Assembly's plenary session Thursday.

 

South Korea's cosmetics exports reached US$11.4 billion in 2025, making the country the world's second-largest cosmetics exporter. However, critics have pointed out that the existing Cosmetics Act focuses mainly on safety and quality control, making it difficult for the government to systematically support the rapidly growing industry.

 

The new law establishes a legal foundation for comprehensive government support covering the entire cosmetics ecosystem, including not only manufacturers but also research and development, raw materials, containers and distribution, the ministry said.

 

Under the law, the health minister will formulate a "Comprehensive Plan for the Promotion and Support of the Cosmetics Industry" every five years. Major policies will be reviewed and coordinated through a committee involving both the government and private sector.

 

Companies with strong research and development investment and overseas expansion capabilities can also be certified as "innovative cosmetics companies." Such companies will be eligible for preferential treatment in government and local government support programs as well as R&D projects.

 

The government will also be able to support industrial innovation using R&D, data, artificial intelligence and digital technologies, train specialized workers, promote the raw materials and container industries, improve distribution systems and assist companies in entering overseas markets. The law also provides a basis for giving preferential treatment to small and medium-sized and mid-sized companies in major support programs.

 

The Cosmetics Industry Promotion Act will take effect one year after its promulgation following consideration and approval by the Cabinet.

 

The health ministry plans to draw up subordinate legislation after gathering opinions from industry, experts and relevant government agencies.

 

"K-beauty has grown into an industry with global competitiveness thanks to the innovation and challenges of our companies," Health Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong said. "We will create an ecosystem where companies with creative ideas and technologies can take on the global market and grow."

 

The National Assembly also approved amendments to the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act and the Nursing Act during Thursday's plenary session.

 

The revised Pharmaceutical Affairs Act requires pharmacists to check medication information through the Drug Utilization Review system when dispensing narcotic or psychotropic drugs.

 

It also adds telemedicine brokerage companies to the grounds for disqualification from obtaining a pharmaceutical wholesaler's license. In addition, wholesalers will be prohibited from selling medicines, either directly or through another wholesaler, to pharmacies that have entered into user agreements with telemedicine brokerage companies with which they have a special relationship, such as relatives within two degrees.

 

Under the revised Nursing Act, the health minister will establish appropriate standards for the number of patients per nurse at hospital-level medical institutions, taking into account patients' characteristics and severity as well as the characteristics of different types of medical institutions.

 

It also requires medical institutions to disclose information on their nurse staffing levels and stipulates that efforts should be made to reflect compliance with appropriate nurse staffing standards in evaluations of medical institutions.

 

jwc@yna.co.kr

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