South Korea proposes rule to disclose EV battery maker, origin

South Korea will require disclosure of key battery details for electric vehicles, including the manufacturer and country of origin, under proposed legal revisions, the transport ministry said on Sunday. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport said amendments to related laws, including enforcement rules of the Motor Vehicle Management Act, will expand battery information available to buyers from six to 10 items.

New disclosures will include the battery’s manufacturer, country of origin, product name and manufacturing date. Currently, only functional details such as capacity and rated voltage are available. The ministry also plans to raise fines for carmakers and sellers that fail to disclose required information to up to 10 million won (US$6,600).

A new standard has been set to revoke safety certifications if the same defect occurs two to four times within two years, depending on severity. Certification will be revoked if a battery with design or manufacturing defects causes fire or damage on two occasions. For defects meeting technical standards but posing safety risks, revocation will follow three such cases.

Separately, President Lee Jae Myung said the government will investigate a fire at a car parts plant in Daejeon and prepare measures to prevent similar incidents. The fire on Friday killed 14 people and injured 60, including two firefighters. The ministry said the measures aim to improve consumer awareness and support EV adoption by strengthening confidence in battery safety.