G/SPS/N/KOR/681  
 
17 April 2020  
(20-3038) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  
NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member:  REPUBLIC OF KOREA  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Food and Drug Safety  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable):  Food additives  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions o r countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  Proposed amendments to the Standards and 
Specifications for Food Additives . Language(s):  Korean . Number of pages:  81 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/SPS/KOR/20_2762_00_x.pdf  
6. Description of content:  Republic of Korea is proposing to amend the "Standards and 
Speci fications for the Food Additives".  
1. The provision for the natural occurrence of propionic acid is newly established.  
− Propionic acid detected below 0.10 mg/kg in food except the ingredients of animal 
origin can be judged as natural occurrence  
− *The amounts al ready recognized as natural occurrence by the MFDS can be 
applied for the judgment of natural occurrence.  
2. The specifications of the following 3 food additives are revised:  
− Beeswax, D -Sorbitol solution, Sodium saccharin preparations  
3. The analytical methods for the following 43 food additives and 5 general test methods 
are revised.  
− (Food additives) Ammonium phosphatides, Azodicarbonamide, Calcium 
caseinate, Calcium pantothenate, Caramel color, Carmine, Casein, Cochineal 
extract, Curdlan, L -Cystine, Dammar gum, Dextran, Disodium glycyrrhizinate, 
Enzymatically modified stevia, Food starch modified, Gellan gum, Glucomannan, 
Guar gum, Hydroxypropyl cellulose, Iron reduced, Isomalt, Locust bean gum, 
Lysozyme, Magnesium oxide, Milt protein, Oleore sin paprika, ε -Polylysine, 
Potassium caseinate, Potassium hydroxide, Psyllium seed gum, Pullulan, 
Riboflavin 5' -phosphate sodium, Saffron color, L -Serine, Sodium caseinate, 
Sodium hydroxide, Sodium pantothenate, Sodium saccharin preparations, Steviol 
glycoside, Tamarind gum, Triacetin, Xanthan gum, Yeast extract,  
− (General test methods) Arsenic limit test, softening  point measurement, Mercury 
test, Viscosity, Coloring matter aluminium lake test  G/SPS/N/KOR/681  
 
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  4. The standards for the use of the following 24 food additives ar e revised:  
− Aluminium ammonium sulfate, Aluminium potassium sulfate, Benzoic acid, 
Calcium benzoate, Calcium ferrocyanide, Calcium sorbate, Manganese gluconate, 
Potassium benzoate, Potassium ferrocyanide, Potassium metabisulfite, Potassium 
nitrate, Potassiu m sorbate, Sodium benzoate, Sodium bisulfite, Sodium 
ferrocyanide, Sodium hydrosulfite, Sodium metabisulfite, Sodium nitrate, Sodium 
nitrite, Sodium saccharin, Sodium sulfite, Sorbic acid, Sulfur dioxide, Titanium 
dioxide, Zinc gluconate  
5. The name of regul ation applied for manufacture equipment of food additives is 
changed.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [  ] animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.   
8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) :  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health Code, chapter number) :  
[ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[X] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[ ] Yes   [  ] No 
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  
The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Advance Notice No. 2020 -157, 14 April 2020 
(available in Korean)   
10. Propo sed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined.  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined.  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : To be determined.  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 16 June 2020  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [  ] National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry  Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if available) of other body:   
International Cooperation Office  
Ministry of Food and Drug Safety  
#187 Osongsaengmyeong2 -ro, Osong -eup, Heungdoek -gu, Cheongju -si 
Chungcheongbuk -do, 363 -700, Korea  
Tel: +(8243) 719 1554  
Fax: +(8243) 719 1550  
E-mail: intmfds@korea.kr   G/SPS/N/KOR/681  
 
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  13. Text(s) available from: [  ] National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
Documents are available from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety website at 
http://www.mfds.go.kr . Also available from:    
International Cooperation Office  
Ministry of Food and Drug Safety  
#187 Osongsaengmyeong2 -ro, Osong -eup, Heungdoek -gu, Cheongju -si 
Chungcheongbuk -do, 363 -700, Korea  
Tel: +(8243) 719 1554  
Fax: +(8243) 719 1550  
E-mail: intmfds@korea.kr