On November 8, 2024, the Ministry of Science and ICT (MSIT) of the Republic of Korea announced on the WTO website the technical standards for charging and data transmission methods for broadcast communication equipment such as mobile devices and smart devices, and on November 26, 2024, an update to the circular was published on the WTO website (only editorial changes were made to Note 3, 4 and 5).

The technical standard requires that the following devices must be equipped with USB-C connectors: mobile phones, tablets, digital cameras, headphones, headsets, portable video game controllers, portable speakers, e-book readers, keyboards, mice, portable navigation devices, earbuds, laptops. The scope of the device is in line with the Universal Charger Regulation (EU) 2022/2380 implemented by the European Union. The technical standard will come into effect on February 14, 2025, and laptops will require a USB-C port from April 1, 2026.

Click on this link to view the original WTO Circular issued on 26 November 2024.