Gov't deliberates response to EU's chemical regulation plan with local industries

The Korean government on Wednesday established a joint task force with local industry officials to respond to the European Union's (EU) plan to phase out per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), chemicals used across various industries, the industry ministry said. The task force, comprising officials from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, related business associations and companies, was created to preemptively devise Korea's response strategy ahead of the EU's planned publication of a draft opinion on its PFAS restrictions later this month. The EU aims to universally adopt PFAS restrictions by 2027 at the latest, a move expected to affect a wide array of Korean industries, from semiconductors and batteries to automobiles. PFAS, often called "forever chemicals," are strong carbon-fluorine bonds used in electronics and semiconductor manufacturing, as well as everyday products, such as food packaging. They are known to accumulate in the environment and the human body due to their high resistance to heat, water and oil. The ministry said it will actively respond to the EU's p

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