Notifications for Republic of Korea (388 notifications)

Under Article 9(2) of the Special Act on Imported Food Safety Control, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety may allow remote inspection by using ICT in cases where on-site inspection cannot be carried out due to natural disasters, outbreaks of infectious diseases, etc.

The proposed amendments seek to: 1. Establish the "Meal kit for meat" as a new food type; 2. Revise the lists of food ingredients (Annexes 1 and 2); 3. Revise the maximum residual limits of veterinary drugs; 4. Establish the maximum residual limits in livestock and fishery products; 5. Revise the General Test Methods; 6. Clarify certain phrases to reflect the revisions of other relevant Acts.

The proposed amendments seek to: 1. Revise and establish the maximum residual limits of pesticides in agricultural products [110 pesticides including Glufosinate (ammonium)].

The proposed amendments seek to: 1. Remove the standard for maximum residual limit of unregistered pesticides in the Republic of Korea; 2. Revise the maximum residual limits of pesticides in agricultural products [58 pesticides including Glufosinate (ammonium)].

The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA), Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affair (MAFRA) in the Republic of Korea will revise the phytosanitary measures of Sudden Oak Death (SOD) disease which is based on the result of Pest Risk Analysis (addition and deletion of areas and plants related with SOD).  This measure is applied to any propagative materials except seeds (such as nursery stocks including root stocks, cuttings and scions), bark, and woods (including logs) with bark of host and/or associated plants from the prohibited and regulated areas. (Please refer to attachment.) * The SOD related measure has been notified through the SPS notification of emergency measures (G/SPS/N/KOR/98). APQA would like to provide comment period for the comprehensive table with a new regulated article (bark) and the areas.

This amendment aims to provide the provision for the lifting of the import suspension imposed pursuant to Article 6.2(2) of the Special Act. Article 6.2(2) of the Special Act on Imported Food Safety Control prescribes that the Minister of Food and Drug Safety may suspend the importation of imported food of the foreign food facilities or establishments in case of refusal, interference or avoidance of an on-inspection including non-response without any legitimate reasons. However, the Minister of Food and Drug Safety may lift the import suspension on the foreign food facilities or establishments concerned based on the results of an on-site inspection.

1. Through the introduction of the Preliminary Review System, low-risk LMOs in which foreign gene has not been introduced to the final product shall be exempted from risk review and approval on the import, production and contained use; 2. Under the current law, LMOs (including animals, plants, and microorganisms) that have introduced drug-resistant genes must obtain the approval when they are imported and developed. In the amendment, the scope of approval has been reduced from living organisms to living microorganisms; 3. The provision on the establishment and operation of confined filed trial areas was created and the confined field trial areas shall be separately managed from research facilities to unify the management system.

The proposed amendments seek to: 1. Add vitamin K2 in ingredient of 'Vitamin K'; 2. Revise testing methods of 'Vitamin K', 'Pantothenic acid' and 'Catechin, Caffeine'.

The proposed amendments seek to: 1. Revise warning notice for intake in 'Ginseng', 'Red ginseng', 'Chlorella', 'Milk thistle extracts', 'Marigold flower extracts', 'Indigestible maltodextrin', 'aloe gel' and 'MSM'; 2. Revise daily intake amount of 'Indigestible maltodextrin' and 'aloe gel'; 3. Revise specifications of lead in 'Chlorella'.

1) The standards for using recycled synthetic resins are revised; 2) The standards for active and intelligent packaging are added; 3) The standards and specifications for synthetic resins are rearranged; 4) The specifications for individual materials are rearranged into a table form; 5) The standards and specifications of polyketone synthetic resin are newly established; 6) The test methods and terminology are revised.

The rule specifies MFDS's evaluation procedure on socio-economic impact of Living Modified Organism for food. In accordance with the rule, the MFDS;  (a) establishes and operates an advisory committee for cases that requires the evaluation: (b) has established specific items and standards for the evaluation; and (c) takes appropriate measures according to the evaluation result.

The proposed amendment seeks to; 1. clearly provide duties of Regional Office of Food and Drug Safety in fields auditing of companies which apply for LMO Import Approval (Article 8-10); 2. provide legal basis for establishing and operating advisory committees for Socio-economic Assessment of Living Modified Organisms for foods (Article 8-11); and 3. clarify specific standards of Establishment and Operation of Production Facilities Using LMO according to the safety management level (Article 8-13).

Summary of The proposed amendment seeks to: 1) Adjustment on the types of pesticides for simultaneous residue analysis of agricultural commodities, when imported for the first time 2) Adjustment of the commodities' list by country that the Minister of Food and Drug Safety recognizes as safe.

Proposed Amendments to the Enforcement Rule of the Special Act on Imported Food Safety Control (1) The enforcement date of the partial amendment notified in G/SPS/N/KOR/702 (dated 19 November 2020) for designating kimchi as a product under mandatory HACCP application and setting up details for HACCP certification procedures and assessment has been modified to 1 October 2021.A phased approach will be applied according to the import amount as follow:   1. Products of which import amount exceeding 10,000 tons as of 2019: 1 October 2021 2. Products of which import amount exceeding 5,000 tons as of 2020: 1 October 2022 3. Products of which import amount exceeding 1,000 tons as of 2021: 1 October 2023 4. Products that are not included in the above 3 subparagraphs: 1 October 2024 (2) The enforcement date of the partial amendment notified in G/SPS/N/KOR/702 (dated 19 November 2020) has been modified to 1 October 2021.In accordance with the amendments to the Enforcement Rule of the Special Act on Imported Food Safety Control, kimchi will be designated as a product under mandatory HACCP application and detailed rules will be set for HACCP certification procedures and assessment. A phased approach will be applied specifically to those exceeding 10,000 tons in terms of import amount. Mandatory HACCP application for imported kimchi will become effective from 1 October 2021.

Item 6 (Description of content) of G/SPS/N/KOR/710 should read as follows: 6.  Description of content: - For the registration of foreign food facilities, documents proving that the manufacturing business is approved, registered and declared according to the relevant food law of the exporting country should be submitted; - Both importers and foreign food facility operators (establishers) may apply for renewing registration of foreign food facilities; - The export health certificate of which format has been decided between Korea and the exporting country should be submitted for the export of dairy products, processed egg products and sterilized meat products (effective as of 1 January 2022 and applicable to consignments based on the date of shipment).

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 Cercestis mirabilis from the regions specified as below will be prohibited from the consignments with Phytosanitary Certificate, shipped on and after 28 April 2021.- 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 * Africa: All countries * Asia: Brunei Darussalam, 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, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Sweden, United Kingdom * Oceania and the Pacific: Australia (except Tasmania), Cook Islands, Fiji, Guam, Hawaiian Islands, Micronesia, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niue, Norfolk Island, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Polynesia, American Samoa, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga

The proposed amendments seek to revise the terms reflecting the relevant law and regulation.

1. Reflect the changes of 'Dietary Reference Intakes for Koreans'; 2. Revise conversion factor and unit of daily intake amount in Vitamin A; 3. Clarify application range of specifications in Edible oil containing EPA and DHA; 4. Revise scientific name of probiotics and add Korean in probiotics number.

Details regarding HACCP-certified businesses for imported food, including certification procedure, application, implementation, review, and assessment.

1. Revise the General Provisions; 2. Revise the Common Standards and Specifications for General Foods; 3. Revise standards and specifications for long shelf-life foods; 4. Revise standards and specifications for each food products; 5. Revise the 'Ingredients Approved for Use in Food' list by newly adding 29 ingredients including 'Oenothear biennis L.'; 6. Revise and establish the maximum residual limits of pesticides in agricultural products [112 pesticides including Glufocinate]; 7. Revise the General Test Methods; 8. Revise the relevant supplementary provisions to apply the newly established "Foods containing milk or milk products" in advance.