. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/TBT/Notif.00/231
3 May 2000
(00-1799)
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade
NOTIFICATION
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   REPUBLIC OF KOREA
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):           
2. Agency responsible:   Korea Food and Drug Administration
Agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be
indicated if different from above:           
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ X], 2.10.1 [    ], 5.6.2 [    ], 5.7.1 [    ], other:           
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):   Foods
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Promulgation of
Labelling Guidelines for Genetically Modified Foods (5 pages, available in Korean)
6. Description of content:   The purpose of the proposed guidelines is to ensure the
consumers' right to know.  These guidelines are promulgated to fulfil the recent amendment
of the Food Sanitation Act as well as to respond to the recommendation from the "GM food
labelling research council" consisting of 25 GMO experts, including scientists, as well as
representatives from consumer groups, the general public, industry and government
agencies.  The proposed guidelines are as follows:
- Any predetermined processed foods whose major food ingredient is genetically
modified soybean, corn (maize) or soybean sprouts that are subject to labelling
according to Article 16 of Agro-Fisheries Product Quality Management Act, are
subject to label.  However, food products that do not contain the recombinant DNA
and foreign proteins due to elimination processes are exempted.  A major food
ingredient is an ingredient which characte rizes the foods or the amount of which the
food is one of the top five.
- The predetermined food are powdered soybean, powdered corn, corn starch, tofu,
soft tofu, processed tofu, soymilk, soybean paste, hot pepper paste, soybean
processed products (chunjan, chunggukang), mixed soybean paste (honhapjang),
popcorn, formulated foods for infants and children, formulated cereal foods for
infants and children, other foods for infants and children using corn or soybean etc.;
- Labelling:  "Yoojunja Jaejohap Sikpum (translation:  Genetically Modified Foods)"
or "Youujunja Jacjohap name of ingredient Sayong Sikpum (translation:  Use
Genetically Modified name of ingredient Foods) in main display panel and
"Youjunja Jacjohap name of ingredient (translation:  Use Genetically Modified
name of ingredient )" in the list of ingredient.G/TBT/Notif.00/231
Page 2
- The food manufacturers-processors and the import and salesmen of food products
have the obligation to label.
7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:
To ensure the consumers' rights to know  and protect consumers from fraudulence.
8. Relevant documents:   Food and Drug Administration Notification 2000-15, Official
Gazette (10 April 2000)
9. Proposed date of adoption:  12 July 2000
Proposed date of entry into force:  12 July 2001
10. Final date for comments:   10 June 2000
11. Texts available from:  National enquiry point [ X] or address, e-mail and telefax
number of the other body:
Department of Food Safety
Bureau of Food Safety
Korea Food and Drug Administration
Tel: +82-2-380-1726, 1727
Fax: +82-2-388-6396