A new 19mm gypsum board, which accounts for 42% of the market distribution, will be included in the national standard (KS). The thickness specifications for sandwich panels will also be expanded to consider regional temperatures and energy efficiency.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's National Institute of Technology and Standards announced on November 3 that it will revise three KS standards related to gypsum boards and sandwich panels on November 4. The revisions will affect the standards for steel wall panels (KS F 4724), steel roof panels (KS F 4731), and gypsum board products (KS F 3504).
The new standard for gypsum board will establish performance criteria for fire resistance, thermal resistance, and bending failure load, introducing the most commonly used 19mm specification. Previously, the KS standards included thicknesses of 12.5mm, 15mm, and 25mm, but did not account for the widely distributed 19mm products.
The location for product labeling has also been expanded from the back to include the back or side, making it easier to check the labeling when storing gypsum boards.
For sandwich panels, thickness specifications have been diversified to reflect regional temperature characteristics and meet energy efficiency ratings. The wall panels will now include additional thicknesses of 125mm, 150mm, and 200mm, while the roof panels will introduce new thicknesses of 150mm, 180mm, 220mm, and 260mm.
The fire resistance performance of insulation materials will align with the technical standards set by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport. The previous classifications of insulation materials as non-combustible, semi-combustible, fire-resistant, and combustible have been limited to non-combustible and semi-combustible. The thickness standard for the outer steel plates of sandwich panels has also been clarified to be at least 0.5mm.
The National Institute of Standards gathered opinions following a request for revisions from the Korea Fire-Resistant Building Materials Association, which included expert reviews from its specialized committee, discussions with the construction industry, and a public notice.
Kim Gyu-sung, head of the National Institute of Technology and Standards, stated, "This KS revision focuses on reflecting the demands of the industry and the characteristics of on-site products in the standards. We will continue to actively gather feedback from the industrial field and improve national standards to enhance safety and industrial competitiveness."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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