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About

Last updated: April 16, 2026

What This Site Is

Decoded Korea is an independent publication that analyzes Korean cosmetic ingredients, chemical substances, and regulatory data. We translate structured regulatory information — ingredient lists, classification standards, cross-country comparisons — into readable analysis for cosmetic professionals, regulatory affairs specialists, developers, and curious consumers.

The site is built around one observation: Korean regulatory databases are rich, detailed, and maintained at a high standard, but much of the data is difficult to access for non-Korean speakers. Language barriers, fragmented source systems, and authentication requirements keep most of this information inside the Korean market. Decoded Korea exists to bridge that gap.

Who Runs It

Decoded Korea is run by a Korea-based IT professional with a background in data systems and regulatory data pipelines. The site started as a side project after building structured APIs for Korean cosmetic and chemical regulatory data — the publishing arm grew out of the work already being done with the data.

We operate as a small independent publication. No VC funding, no editorial team of freelancers, no AI content farm. Articles are researched against real regulatory databases and verified against official government sources before publication.

The Data Behind the Site

Every article on Decoded Korea is sourced from structured databases we maintain. The underlying data comes from official Korean and international regulatory sources, organized into two primary datasets:

K-Beauty Cosmetic Ingredients Database

  • 21,796 cosmetic ingredients with INCI names, Korean names, CAS numbers, EC numbers, and origin definitions
  • 30,960 regulatory records across 10 countries: Korea, EU, Japan, China, Taiwan, ASEAN, US, Canada, Brazil, Argentina
  • Ingredient purpose classifications (UV filter, preservative, surfactant, colorant, etc.)
  • Country-specific regulatory status: banned, restricted, permitted with conditions
  • Maximum concentration limits per country
  • Use-type restrictions (face vs. body, leave-on vs. rinse-off)
  • Source: Korea MFDS (KCIA + MFDS merged), cross-referenced with EU Cosmetics Regulation EC 1223/2009 (Annex II–VI), and corresponding regulations in other jurisdictions.

Available via the K-Beauty Cosmetic Ingredients API on RapidAPI.

K-REACH Chemical Substance Database

  • 47,000+ chemical substances registered under Korea's K-REACH framework
  • Substance identifiers: CAS numbers, KE numbers, molecular formulas, synonyms (English and Korean)
  • GHS (Globally Harmonized System) hazard classifications with hazard codes and precaution codes
  • Regulatory designations: toxic substance, restricted substance, prohibited substance, priority management substance, accident preparedness substance, persistent pollutant, CMR substance, Rotterdam Convention substance
  • Source: Korea Ministry of Environment and Korea Environment Corporation public data, sourced through official data.go.kr APIs.

Available via the K-REACH Chemical Substance API on RapidAPI.

What Kind of Content You'll Find

  • Ingredient analysis — deep dives on individual cosmetic ingredients: mechanism, regulatory status across markets, concentration limits, use conditions.
  • Regulation comparisons — how the same substance is regulated differently across Korea, the EU, Japan, China, ASEAN, and other markets.
  • Regulatory news — when MFDS, EU, or other major authorities issue new restrictions or ban substances, we cover what changed and what it means.
  • Consumer-facing explainers — for readers who want to understand ingredient labels, regulatory philosophy, and how global cosmetic regulations actually work.
  • Developer guides — occasional technical content on using the APIs programmatically.

Editorial Standards

  • Data verification — every regulatory number, ban date, and concentration limit is cross-checked against the underlying database and, when applicable, against the official government publication.
  • No sponsored content — we do not accept payment to mention products, brands, or ingredients.
  • No medical claims — we report regulatory and scientific information. We do not recommend products for specific health conditions.
  • Corrections policy — if we get something wrong, we welcome corrections at decodedkorea.lab@gmail.com and will update the affected article with a note.

Not Affiliated With

Decoded Korea is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any government regulatory authority, cosmetic brand, chemical manufacturer, or industry association. We are an independent analytical publication.

Contact

For corrections, tips, inquiries, or partnership questions:

Email: decodedkorea.lab@gmail.com

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