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South Korea · Zone 1 / Zone 21 · gas and dust

Explosion proof mobile phone for South Korea, Zone 1 and Zone 21

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. It is pre-launch, so what you can have today is the datasheet, the certification schedule and an evaluation unit.

Launching Q4 2026 · IECEx and KOSHA programme in progress

Request the datasheetBook an evaluation unit
SAMS IS-04Z1 explosion proof mobile phone, front view
Local approvalKOSHA · IECExIECEx · KOSHA in progress
AvailabilityQ4 2026via authorised distributors
South Korea
KOSHA · IECExIECExATEX 2014/34/EUNEC 500 Class I Div 1IP68Zone 1 / Zone 21Android 16Qualcomm Snapdragon
Where it works · South Korea

Where a flameproof handset is needed in South Korea

South Korea’s classified-area workforce is concentrated in three giant coastal industrial complexes plus the shipbuilding yards that serve the marine and offshore sector.

Operators and contractors such as SK Energy, GS Caltex and S-Oil need an explosion proof mobile phone they can carry into classified areas at Ulsan, Yeosu and Daesan. The IS-04Z1 is designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 duty there.

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
Built for local conditions

Built for South Korean conditions

South Korea’s industrial complexes run at a scale and density few other markets match. These are the points a Korean evaluator presses on, and how the design answers them.

For evaluators in South Korea, the IS-04Z1 explosion proof mobile phone is designed around these points: Humid summers and cold winters; Extremely dense, large-scale sites; Shipyard and marine hazards; Korean and English on one build; Managed like the rest of the fleet.

IP ratingIP68
Battery4,000 mAh
Camera50 MP
OSAndroid 16

Humid summers and cold winters

Korea’s climate swings from hot, humid summers to cold, dry winters. IP68 sealing and rugged build are specified across that full range rather than one season.

Extremely dense, large-scale sites

Ulsan alone hosts refining, petrochemicals and shipbuilding in one integrated zone. A rugged, long-battery-life device suits the long rounds and heavy contractor traffic of a site at that scale.

Shipyard and marine hazards

LNG carrier and offshore-platform construction at yards like Geoje introduces tank-entry and marine-fuel hazards alongside conventional refinery risk, and the same Zone 1 specification is designed to cover both.

Korean and English on one build

Operations run predominantly Korean-language, with English used for international contractors and technical documentation. Android 16 carries both interface languages on the same handset.

Managed like the rest of the fleet

EMM and MDM enrolment pushes the corporate profile and camera policy centrally, matching how Korea’s large industrial groups already manage their device estates.

Approvals in South Korea

Certification programme ahead of Q4 2026 launch.

IECEx certification is the technical basis the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA) works from. KOSHA Ex certification is being pursued alongside launch.

In progress

KOSHA · IECEx

National conformity for South KoreaIECEx · KOSHA in progress
In progress

IECEx

International Electrotechnical CommissionZone 1 · Zone 21 · Gas · Dust
In progress

ATEX

EU Directive 2014/34/EUII 2 G Ex ib IIC T4
In progress

NEC 500

National Electrical CodeClass I Div 1 · North America
Regulatory route · South Korea

What your HSE and procurement teams will ask for.

Conformity in South Korea runs through the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA), which certifies equipment for use in hazardous areas under national industrial safety law. For hazardous-area equipment the technical evidence behind that certification is typically aligned with an IECEx Certificate of Conformity, and because this product is a phone it also needs KC (Korea Certification) type approval from the National Radio Research Agency. None of the three is finished yet.

Getting past the plant gate is a separate exercise. SK Energy, GS Caltex, S-Oil and Hyundai Oilbank each run their own equipment-approval process for a device entering a classified area, and supply is normally expected to run through a Korea-registered partner. A device can be fully KOSHA-certified and still be unlisted on an operator’s own approved-equipment register, so plan for two timelines rather than one.

Use cases · South Korea

Where the IS-04Z1 explosion proof mobile phone goes to work.

Refining01

Plant rounds and turnarounds at Ulsan and Yeosu

A process operator walking a unit round at a large Korean refinery needs to log readings, photograph equipment and stay in contact with the control room. During a turnaround, contractor traffic and permit volume both increase sharply across an already dense site.

Petrochemical02

Integrated complex operations at Daesan

Large integrated petrochemical complexes combine multiple classified units on one site. A rugged, sealed build suits continuous movement across a complex of that density.

Shipbuilding & marine03

LNG carrier construction at Geoje

Tank entry and marine fuel-system work during LNG carrier construction introduces Zone 1 gas risk inside confined shipyard spaces. IP68 sealing and intrinsic safety are designed for exactly that combination.

How to buy · South Korea

How to evaluate and buy in South Korea

The IS-04Z1 launches in Q4 2026. None of these steps needs a purchase order, and they are ordered so that your approvals and our certification run in parallel.

  1. 01

    Send us the area classification

    Give us the zone, gas group and temperature class for the areas a device would enter, plus the operator whose approval you work under. That is enough for us to say plainly where certification stands against your requirement.

  2. 02

    Take the datasheet and the certificate schedule

    You receive the full specification and a written list of the certifications in progress with target dates. An HSE officer can start an equipment selection justification with it, and procurement can open a vendor file.

  3. 03

    Join the evaluation programme

    Evaluation units will be offered to Korean operators and contractors for handling and MDM trials in safe areas, moving to classified-area pilots once the certificate exists.

  4. 04

    Supply through a Korea-registered partner

    Procurement processes at SK Energy, GS Caltex, S-Oil and Hyundai Oilbank favour a locally registered supplier who can hold the KOSHA documentation. Evaluation quantities can be supplied directly while that channel is appointed.

Questions · South Korea

Frequently asked questions

Asking about a site in South Korea?

Send your site, zone and gas group, and we will answer for your plant rather than in general.

Ask about South Korea →
Can we buy an explosion proof mobile phone from SAMS in South Korea today?

Not yet. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch and every certification behind it, including IECEx, ATEX and the KOSHA route, is still in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch. What exists today is the datasheet, the certification schedule and a place in the evaluation programme.

What is the price of an explosion proof phone in South Korea?

We do not publish one. Until certification completes there is no list price, and pre-launch pricing is available on request against a stated quantity and site.

Will SK Energy or GS Caltex accept it on site?

That decision belongs to each operator and follows the certificates rather than preceding them. KOSHA certification and the underlying IECEx evidence are what their engineering review is built on.

Does it apply to shipbuilding as well as refining?

Yes. The same Zone 1 gas rating covers confined-space and tank-entry work during LNG carrier and offshore-platform construction at Korean shipyards, alongside conventional refinery and petrochemical use.

Does it work in Korean?

Yes. Android 16 runs the interface in Korean or English on the same handset and the user manual will be issued in both.

Enquiry · South Korea

Ask about the IS-04Z1 for South Korea

Tell us the site, the zone and gas group, and roughly how many handsets. The SAMS team replies by email with the datasheet and the certification schedule for South Korea. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch and certification is in progress, so there is no list price yet; indicative pricing is issued in writing against a stated quantity and site.

Enquiry · South Korea

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Distribution · South Korea

Looking for partners across South Korea.

SAMS is appointing Korean safety and instrumentation distributors who already hold vendor numbers with major refiners, petrochemical operators or shipyards. Tell us which operators you are registered with and which tenders you bid.

Apply to distributeDistributor programme
Regional office
Seoul (partner)
Languages
Korean · English
Registered
United Kingdom
Industries and operators · South Korea

Industries and operators we cover.

Go deeper with the IS-04Z1: explosion proof phone for Oil & Gas / Refining; explosion proof phone for Petrochemical; explosion proof phone for Shipbuilding & Marine; explosion proof phone for GS Caltex; explosion proof phone for Hyundai Heavy Industries; explosion proof phone for Hyundai Oilbank; explosion proof phone for S-Oil; explosion proof phone for SK Energy.

Oil & Gas / RefiningIndustry PetrochemicalIndustry Shipbuilding & MarineIndustry GS CaltexOperator Hyundai Heavy IndustriesOperator Hyundai OilbankOperator S-OilOperator SK EnergyOperator
Find your route

Ex phone guides for South Korea

Buyers look for the IS-04Z1 in South Korea in different ways. Each guide below answers one buyer search honestly: what the term means, the route to buy, and where certification stands today.

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