G/SPS/N/KOR/674  
 
9 January 2020  
(20-0258) Page: 1/2 
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 products  
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or  countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  Proposed Amendments to the Standards and 
Specifications for Foods . Language(s):  Korean . Number of pages:  232 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2020/SPS/KOR/20_0160_00_x.pdf  
6. Description of content:   
The proposed amendment seeks to:  
1. Revise the definition of "Food  irradiation treatment" by excluding x -ray used for 
inspection purpose.  
2. Revise the list of "Ingredients of Plant Origin" in the "Classification of Food 
Ingredients".  
3. Revise and clarify the target food products subject to the application of maximum 
radioact ivity limits.  
4. Add two newly identified compounds to the list of erectile dysfunction drugs and their 
analogues, which shall not be detected in foods.  
5. Revise the storage and distribution standards to allow temporary thawing of frozen 
fishery products for the purpose of removing foreign matters, cutting or subdividing 
the product.  
6. Revise the limit of iodine value in "Soybean oil".  
7. Revise the "Ingredients Approved for Use in Food" by newly adding 10 ingredients 
including " Amphioctopus membranace us". 
8. Revise the maximum residual limits of veterinary drugs and clarify the substances 
which are exempted from the application of MRLs.  
9. Revise and establish the maximum residual limits of pesticides in agricultural products 
(83 pesticides including Glufosi nate (ammonium)).  
10. Revise the General Test Methods.  
11. Revise several terms for clarification and harmonization.  
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.   G/SPS/N/KOR/674  
 
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  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 An imal 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:   
Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Advance Notice No. 2019 -595, 30 December 2019.  
(available in Korean)  
10. Proposed 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) : 9 March 2020  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [  ] National Noti fication 
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: +(82 43) 719 1554  
Fax: +(82 43) 719 1550  
E-mail: wtokfda@korea.kr  
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 
Tel: +(82 43) 719 1554  
Fax: +(82 43) 719 1550  
E-mail: wtokfda@korea.kr