Notifications for Republic of Korea (388 notifications)

The proposed amendments seek to: 1.    Deletion of manufacturing method of Protein 2.    Revision of scientific name of Phellinus linteus extracts Phillinus linteus Sanghuangporus sanghuang 3.    Addition of testing methods regarding Saw palmetto fruit extracts

The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA), Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) in the Republic of Korea, has added host plants of Radopholus similis, one of the prohibited quarantine pests of Korea, which is based on the result of Pest Risk Analysis (PRA).The import of living and fresh underground parts of Amydrium zippelianum from the regions specified as below will be prohibited from the consignment with phytosanitary certificate, shipped on and after 18 April 2023.-    Products covered: Relevant parts of host plants (available in English, 1 page) associated with Radopholus similis-    Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:     North America:  Canada, Mexico, United States of America     Central America:  All countries     South America:  All countries (except Chile)     Africa:  All countries     Asia: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China (restricted areas: Guangzhou City, Maoming City and Shenzhen City in Guangdong Province, Fujian Province; and Hong Kong, China), India, Indonesia, Japan, Lebanese Republic, Malaysia, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Chinese Taipei, Thailand, Yemen     Europe: Belgium, Denmark, Estonia, France, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden, United Kingdom    Oceania and the Pacific: Australia (except Tasmania), Cook Islands (New Zealand), Fiji, Guam, Hawaiian Islands, Micronesia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue (New Zealand), Norfolk Island (Australia), Palau, Papua New Guinea, French Polynesia, American Samoa, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga

Attached Table 10 (Criteria for Classification of Imported Food, etc.) of the Enforcement Rule of the Special Act will be revised to eliminate ‘product names’ from paragraph 4 (the same product from the same company). Currently, when some of the same product from the same company are found to be non-compliant based on the results of lab test, the upcoming import of such products is rejected at the border. However, despite of this revision, the same processed food products or processed livestock products from the same company maufactured on the same date should also have the same product name as those non-compliant products for them to be determined as non-compliant.

The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA), Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) in the Republic of Korea, has added host plants of Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd), as a one of the prohibited quarantine pests of Korea, which is based on the result of Pest Risk Analysis (PRA). The import of seeds for sowing, fresh stems and leaves, and living and fresh underground parts of host plants from the specified regions or countries will be prohibited from the consignments with Phytosanitary Certificate, shipped on and after 14 May 2023. The information of prohibited host plants and regions/countries about Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) is detailed in the attachment 1 (available in English).https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2023/SPS/KOR/23_8524_00_e.pdf-       Add Petunia spp. and Solanum betaceum to the list of prohibited hosts from restricted regions or countries.-       Among the host plants from prohibited regions or countries where PSTVd has been distributed will be permitted on condition as follows:o    Import will be permitted on condition of either (1) or (2):(1)  By certifying that the exported seeds are produced in areas, places or production sites free from Potato spindle tuber viroid. Each consignment must be accompanied by the Phytosanitary Certificate endorsed with the following additional declaration:"The seeds are produced from pest free area, places or production site for Potato spindle tuber viroid by establishing and maintaining the pest free status in accordance with ISPM No. 4 or No. 10."(2)  By certifying that the export seeds are free from Potato spindle tuber viroid through PCR test before export. Each consignment must be accompanied by Phytosanitary Certificate endorsed with the following additional declaration:"The seeds were tested by PCR before export and found free from Potato spindle tuber viroid."o    Or each consignment should be accompanied by the Phytosanitary Certificate and a separate "PCR Inspection Certificate" (available in English, see attachment 2, https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2023/SPS/KOR/23_8524_01_e.pdf). PCR test results from public testing agencies and labs authorized by the NPPO (educational organizations, commercial testing labs or seed industry labs etc.) will be accepted.* If the PCR test certificate is accompanied, the copy of authorization of the testing agencies or labs issued by the NPPO of an export country and the electrophoresis report of PCR test would be required.

The main proposed amendment seeks to:A.    Improve the inspection procedures, etc., for the agricultural products that are imported in bulk shipments; B.    Establish the application process for the expedited approval of the notification on the raw materials that are used for self-manufacturing purposes (food additive flavoring, raw materials for refining/processing); C.    Stipulate the processing procedure for cases where re-declaration for importation is notified after voluntary withdrawal (or return by the MFDS) for random sampling test; D.    Revise the name and adjust the items for the agricultural products that may be used for purposes other than as food products; E.    Adjust the number of pesticides that are test items for the laboratory inspections conducted on the newly imported agricultural products by reflecting the non-compliance records, etc.; F.    Adjust the list of food products, etc., that the Minister of Food and Drug Safety recognizes as safe by reflecting the non-compliance records.

The Republic of Korea is proposing to amend the Approval of Temporary Standards and Specifications for Food etc.:1. The scope of food ingredient approval is clarified; and2. Terminologies in the application form of Temporary Standards and Specifications for Food are unified.

modification of attached file.

The proposed amendment seeks to: 1. Establish the standards of  “Alternative foods”; 2. Establish the limit of inorganic arsenic in husked rice; 3. Revise the standards and specifications of “Elderly friendly foods”; 4. Establish the limit of erucic acid in rapeseed oil (canola oil); 5. Establish of food types and standard and specifications for foods for special medical purposes; 6. Revise the classification of food type in “Edible salt”; 7. Revise the specifications of foodborne pathogens in raw foods; 8. Revise the maximum residual limits of pesticides in agricultural products [Cypermethrin].

The proposed amendments seek to: 1. Clarify the application standards of contaminants, pesticides and veterinary drugs; 2. Revise and establish the maximum residual limits of pesticides in agricultural products; 3. Revise and establish the maximum residual limits of veterinary drugs; 4. Revise and establish the General Test Methods.

Correction of the attachment:

The Republic of Korea is proposing to amend the "Standards and Specifications for the Food Additives". 1) Six food additives such as following are newly allowed:      5'-Guanylic acid, Dipotassium 5'-Guanylate, Calcium 5'-Guanylate, 5'-Inosinic acid, Dipotassium 5'-Inosinate, Calcium 5'-Inosinate; 2) The standards for the use of Copper chlorophyll, Sodium copper chlorophyllin, and Potassium copper chlorophyllin are revised to use it for food supplements; 3) Acetylated oxidized starch is added as Modified starch; 4) The standards for the use of the following 27 food additives are revised:      Calcium Gluconate, Calcium Glycerophosphate, Titanium Dioxide, Calcium Phosphate Tribasic, Calcium Phosphate Dibasic, Calcium Phosphate Monobasic, Calcium Pantothenate, Phytic Acid, Food Green No. 3, Food Green No. 3 Aluminium Lake, Food Red No. 2, Food Red No. 2 Aluminium Lake, Food Red No. 3, Food Red No. 40, Food Red No. 40 Aluminium Lake, Food Red No. 102, Food Blue No. 1, Food Blue No. 1 Aluminium Lake, Food Blue No. 2, Food Blue No. 2 Aluminium Lake , Food Yellow No. 4, Food Yellow No. 4 Aluminium Lake,  Food Yellow No. 5, Food Yellow No. 5 Aluminium Lake, L-Ascorbyl Palmitate, Methyl p-Hydroxybenzoate, Ethyl p-Hydroxybenzoate; 5) The specifications of the following four food additives are revised:    Smoke Flavours, Ferrous Sulfate, Chromic Chloride, Manganese Sulfate.

To revise the Aquatic Organism Disease Control Act as follows: (1) To introduce the registration system of domestic establishments to export aquatic animals and to develop new standards to control aquatic diseases for export;  (2) To introduce the registration system of foreign establishments and to establish a legal basis for on-site inspection conducted overseas; (3) To complement a legal basis to take actions on prohibited imports; and (4) To complement other requirement details for domestic disease control processes.

In case where the registration of foreign food facility (foreign establishment) has been revoked due to the fact that registration was made by fraud or other improper means, the said foreign food facility (foreign establishment) cannot apply for registration for two years from the date of revocation.  Also, when a foreign food facility (foreign establishment) withdraws its registration after MFDS notifying an on-site inspection schedule to the facility, it can apply for registration after receiving an on-site inspection.

- The standards for designation of substances, such as narcotics and pharmaceutical ingredients, to be banned for entry will be newly established in the case of foods directly purchased from overseas. When designating the substances to be banned on entry, the name of substance, reason for designation and the date of designation will be published and posted on the website after deliberation and decision by a committee.  - Until now, products are regarded as the same product from the same company when they are produced from the same foreign food facility and have the  same product name, manufacturing method and raw materials. But for processed products and livestock products, the product name will be excluded as a condition due to its little relevance to the product safety.  - The types of certification for food safety management to choose, if applicable, will be specified by adding GMP and GFSI to the current HACCP and ISO22000 for foreign food facilities applying for registration.

1. Clarify the application standards of contaminants, pesticides and veterinary drugs; 2. Revise and establish the maximum residual limits of pesticides in agricultural products; 3. Revise and establish the maximum residual limits of veterinary drugs; 4. Revise and establish the General Test Methods.

1) Amendment of regulations concerning remote inspection (Article 5, etc.) - Inclusion of remote inspection-related content following the establishment of Article 9-2 of the Special Act on Imported Food Safety Control;2) Deletion of regulations specified in other public notices (Article 2, etc.) - Removal and amendment of related regulations following the establishment of the Notice “On-site Sanitation Inspection Standards and Sanitation Audit Procedures of Imported Food, Etc. by Original Equipment Manufacturing” established on 14 June 2021;3) Amendment of control standards for foreign food facilities and establishments (Annex 1-3) - Improvement including addition, integration and deletion of control standards (evaluation items) in consideration of international food sanitation and safety control standards; -  Unification of standard words for each facility (establishment) type.

1. Adjust the subjects of random sampling test to conform to the regulation listed above; 2. Adjust the fishery products that are subjects of inspection for veterinary drugs in accordance with the domestic/foreign farming (aquaculture) status review results.

The main proposed amendments are as follows:- Newly inserted a regulation that states: “In cases where the imported livestock products that were subjects of laboratory inspections or random sample tests are being re-declared for importation after being either withdrawn by the person who applied for declaration or rejected by the head of the Regional Offices of Food and Drug Safety, the relevant livestock products must go through the relevant laboratory inspections or random sample tests.”- Newly inserted a regulation that states: “The procedure for the exemption of the document review and field test for the annually planned volume of importation for livestock products imported by good importers.”

The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA), Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) in the Republic of Korea has newly added hosts of Xylella fastidiosa, one of the prohibited quarantine pests of the Republic of Korea, which is based on the result of a Pest Risk Analysis (PRA). Please find the attachment for more details of host plants, the vectors and distributed areas.［Attachment］ Host plants, the vectors and distributed areas of Xylella fastidiosa

The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA), Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) in the Republic of Korea has amended the quarantine pest list which is based on the result of a Pest Risk Analysis (PRA) and in accordance with the provisions of Articles 4 and 6 of the Ministerial Ordinance of the Plant Protection Act. The APQA notified to add 24 quarantine pests (24 species) and two regulated non-quarantine pests (two species). Also, APQA removed six quarantine pests (six species). The information is detailed in the attachments. [Attachment 1] List of newly added quarantine pests (24 species) [Attachment 2] List of newly added regulated non-quarantine pests and host plants (two species)  [Attachment 3] Removed pests from quarantine pest list (six species)