. /.WORLD TRADE
ORGANIZATIONG/SPS/N/KOR/125
7 April 2003
(03-1913)
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures Original:  English
NOTIFICATION
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   REPUBLIC OF KOREA
If applicable, name of local government involved:
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy
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):   Living modified organisms
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable:  All
countries
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:   The act on the
transboundary movement of living modified organisms (available in Korean, 25 pages), the
enforcement decree and the ministerial ordinance (available in Korean, 22 pages and 36
pages, respectively).
6. Description of content:   This act, enforcement decree and ordinance will allow the
Republic of Korea to implement the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention
on Biological Diversity  (the Protocol).  Although the Republic of Korea has already
signed, it has not yet ratified the Protocol.  If the Republic of Korea should ratify the
Protocol, the proposed act, decree and ordinance will be implemented to effect the export
notification, documentation, and transboundary movement requirements of the Protocol,
which will also require approval from the relevant government authorities for domestic
production and research facilities.  Producers or importers also should label names, kinds,
usage and so on.
7. Objective and rationale:  [  X ] food safety, [ X ] animal he alth, [ X ] plant protection,
[   ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or  disease, [ X ] protect territory from other
damage from pests
8. International standard, gu ideline or recommendation:
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] Office International des Epizooties,
[   ] International Plant Prot ection Convention, [ X ] None
If an international standard , guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate
reference and briefly identify deviations:
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:
The act:  Government Gazette No. 14762 (available in Korean)
The enforcement decree and ordinance:  Government Gazette No. 15133 (available in
Korean)G/SPS/N/KOR/125
Page 2
10. Proposed date of adoption:  Although the act was enacted on 28 March 2001, it has not yet
come into effect.  The decree and ordinance are anticipated to be enacted in the first half of
2003.
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  When the Protocol enters into force AND the Republic
of Korea ratifies the Protocol.
12. Final date for comments:  15 May  2003
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if
available) of other body:
13. Texts available from:  [   ] National notification authority,  [ X ] National enquiry point,
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body:
Biotechnology and Chemi cals Industry Division
Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy
1, Joongang-Dong, Gwacheon, Kyounggi-Do, 427-723, Republic of Korea
Tel:  81-2-2110-5663;  Fax: 81-2-503-9492;  E-mail: syoon@mocie.go.kr