South Korea: logistics and access
South Korea imports nearly all its oil and was the world's third-largest importer of liquefied natural gas in 2024, so LNG terminals and fuel storage are major classified-area sites.
South Korea · ATEX and IECEx
ATEX and IECEx Mobile Phone Distributor in South Korea
The IS-04Z1 is an intrinsically safe handset for people who cross into classified areas in South Korea every shift: refinery and petrochemical-complex operators at Ulsan and Yeosu, shipyard tank engineers, and the HSE and telecoms teams who equip them. Ulsan opened the country's first hydrogen car charging station in 2009 and the first hydrogen ship charging station at Jangsaengpo Port in 2021, and a Green Hydrogen Town project is in progress, adding hydrogen-classified areas. An ATEX and IECEx mobile phone distributor in South Korea would carry the IS-04Z1 to these buyers once certification completes.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Marking targetEx ib IIC T4Intrinsic safety, Zone 1 / 21 design target · certification in progress
AvailabilityQ4 2026via authorised distributors
Search topicATEX and IECEx
DeviceMobile Phone
RouteDistribution
WhereSouth Korea
Short answer. South Korea has no appointed SAMS distributor yet: the IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued, launch planned for Q4 2026), and distributor applications are open.
For the record, no certificate exists for the IS-04Z1 today. The programme is under way ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. A buyer's engineering review is separate from the certificate. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
At a glance · ATEX and IECEx
Checklist: ATEX and IECEx mobile phone for South Korea
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Marking | II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4 on the rating plate | Design target; not yet marked |
| EU-type examination certificate | Notified body number and certificate ID | In progress with TÜV; not issued |
| IECEx certificate of conformity | Number listed on the IECEx online register | In progress; not issued |
| Where it applies | South Korea: Daesan, Onsan, Geoje | Classified by the site operator |
Product · South Korea
The product behind this search: the SAMS IS-04Z1.
SAMS IS-04Z1
An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in South Korea. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
- IP68 sealed
- 4,000 mAh battery
- 50 MP camera
- Android 16
- Zone 1 / Zone 21 design target
The market · South Korea
Hazardous-area industry in South Korea
The main operators, industrial areas and sites that the SAMS South Korea market guide covers.
Operators, EPCs and contractors
- SK Energy
- SK Innovation’s refining arm, based at Ulsan
- GS Caltex
- Major refiner and petrochemical producer at Yeosu
- S-Oil
- Saudi Aramco-affiliated refiner based at Onsan, Ulsan
- Hyundai Oilbank
- Refining and petrochemical operations at Daesan
- Lotte Chemical
- Major petrochemical producer across multiple complexes
- Hyundai Heavy Industries
- The world’s largest shipbuilder, with LNG and tanker construction at Ulsan
Industrial areas and sites
- Ulsan
- Korea’s largest industrial complex: refining, petrochemicals and shipbuilding together
- Yeosu
- Major petrochemical complex on the south coast
- Daesan
- Petrochemical complex on the west coast
- Onsan
- Refining and non-ferrous smelting zone within greater Ulsan
- Geoje
- Major shipbuilding yards constructing LNG carriers and offshore platforms
Field notes · South Korea
More about South Korea that matters for portable equipment
South Korea: climate and equipment wear
Most rainfall is concentrated in the summer months, which matters for outdoor equipment: ingress protection and condensation resistance are worth checking for devices used across the monsoon season.
South Korea: background
Ulsan was chosen as a Special Industrial Zone in 1962 and became a city in 1963, which is why large refining, petrochemical and shipbuilding sites sit close together on its coast.
South Korea: industry on the ground
Ulsan is the industrial centre of the south-east, hosting the world's largest car assembly plant, the world's largest shipyard and the world's third-largest oil refinery, which makes it a dense mix of process and manufacturing hazards.
The term · ATEX and IECEx
What “ATEX and IECEx” means for a smartphone
ATEX is the European legal framework for equipment used in explosive atmospheres (Directive 2014/34/EU). IECEx is the international certification scheme built on the IEC 60079 standards. Buyers outside Europe often ask for both: an IECEx certificate is the technical evidence most national regimes build on, while ATEX is the legal route into the European market.
For the IS-04Z1 both routes are in progress with TÜV in Germany and neither certificate has been issued. The marking target is II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4: equipment Group II (surface industry), Category 2 (Zone 1 gas), protection concept ib (intrinsic safety), gas group IIC and temperature class T4.
In South Korea. A Korean HSE or procurement reviewer at Ulsan, Yeosu or Daesan would expect KOSHA and IECEx evidence, as the sheet lists both in progress. ATEX alongside IECEx helps the international contractors and shipyard customers who work to those schemes. No certificate has been issued for the IS-04Z1, so a review today covers the schedule only.
The route · distribution
Distributing the IS-04Z1 in South Korea
Distribution of the IS-04Z1 is by authorised partners only, and SAMS has not yet granted a territory for South Korea. Each application is reviewed on its merits. Because opening a certified Ex handset in an ordinary workshop invalidates its certificate, the partner must be able to support and service the device locally.
What SAMS looks for in a partner
- Operator relationships
- Existing supplier registrations or a clear route to them with the main operators and contractors in South Korea.
- Ex-competent staff
- People who understand zone classification, markings and the conditions of a certificate.
And equally important
- Local-language support
- Documentation, training and helpdesk in the languages the workforce uses.
- Service capability
- Spares, battery replacement and repair routed through SAMS-approved channels.
Questions · South Korea
Frequently asked questions
Can we buy an ATEX and IECEx mobile phone in South Korea today?
Not today. Until the certificates are issued the IS-04Z1 stays out of classified areas, and until launch there is nothing to purchase. You can ask for the datasheet and the certification schedule, or book a safe-area evaluation unit.
What does an ATEX and IECEx mobile phone in South Korea cost?
There is no list price yet. SAMS gives indicative pre-launch pricing in writing, against a stated quantity and site, and does not commit to a lead time before certification completes.
Is the IS-04Z1 ATEX and IECEx certified?
Not yet. Both routes are in progress with TÜV in Germany and no certificate has been issued. Any listing that says otherwise is wrong.
Which sites in South Korea does this cover?
The market guide for South Korea covers Ulsan, Yeosu, Daesan, Onsan, among others. Site-level pages are linked below.
How do I become a SAMS distributor for South Korea?
Apply through the distributor page with your company details and the territory you cover. SAMS reviews applications company by company and has not yet granted a territory for South Korea.
Is hydrogen changing hazardous-area requirements in Ulsan?
Ulsan has opened hydrogen charging stations and is developing a Green Hydrogen Town, so hydrogen gas groups may appear in new classified areas. Always check a device's gas group marking against the area classification drawing rather than assuming a general Zone 1 rating is enough.
How does Korean weather affect handheld devices used outdoors?
Summers bring concentrated heavy rainfall and humidity, and winters can be cold, so look at the operating temperature range, water ingress rating and glove-friendly touch operation. Coastal sites at Ulsan also bring salt air, which can affect ports and contacts.
Does the handset support Korean as well as English?
Android 16 carries both on one build, and operations at Korean sites run predominantly in Korean with English for international contractors and documentation. Check the language pack and the keyboard layout you require during an evaluation unit trial.
Related guides
Keep exploring
More on South Korea, and on other places in South Korea.
Industrial Mobile Phone Supplier in South KoreaSame place, different guide
Explosion-Proof Mobile Phone Distributor in South KoreaSame place, different guide
IECEx Mobile Phone in South KoreaSame place, different guide
Ex-Proof Mobile Phone Distributor in South KoreaSame place, different guide
Intrinsically Safe Mobile Phone Distributor in South KoreaSame place, different guide
Rugged Mobile Phone in South KoreaSame place, different guide
South Korea market guideCertification route and regulators
All guides for South KoreaEvery route we cover
Certification statusWhat is in progress
Enquiry · South Korea
Ask about the IS-04Z1 for South Korea
Send the site, zone and gas group and roughly how many handsets. We reply by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule.
Enquiry · South Korea
Launching Q4 2026
Planning for South Korea?
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.