Toward Strengthened Regulation of PFAS in South Korea: Health Risks, Global Standards, and Policy Recommendations

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Abstract
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are widely used not only in consumer products but also in semiconductor manufacturing due to their exceptional resistance to heat, water, and oil, which stems from the strong covalent bonds between carbon and fluorine atoms. However, the long-chain structure of PFAS leads to high bioaccumulation potential and possible carcinogenicity, resulting in their regulation as persistent organic pollutants under the Stockholm Convention. Recently, the World Health Organization (WHO) reclassified perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) as a Group 1 carcinogen and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) as a Group 2B possible carcinogen, thereby tightening global regulatory standards. Although South Korea has implemented regulations on PFAS, its current standards remain relatively lenient compared to those of the United States, the European Union, and other major East Asian countries. For instance, the U.S. regulates PFOA and PFOS in drinking water at 4ng/L each, and the EU limits the combined total of 20 PFAS compounds to 100ng/L. In contrast, South Korea regulates PFOA and PFOS individually or combined at 70ng/L, and PFHxS at 480ng/L. Based on the toxicity of PFAS and the insufficiency of current domestic regulations, this study argues for stricter national standards and proposes the following policy directions: (1) strengthen drinking water standards to protect public health, (2) establish routine monitoring systems for groundwater and surface water in major watershed areas, (3) introduce a certification system for PFAS-free products, and (4) enforce phased regulations on PFAS use in the semiconductor industry, along with increased government support for research and development (R&D) of alternative substances.
Funding Information
  • Ministry of Science and ICT
  • National Research Foundation of Korea (2021R1A2C1013989)
  • Gwangju Green Environment Center (23-03-10-16-12)

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