G/SPS/N/KOR/639  
 
6 May 2019  
(19-3085) 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 additives  
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 Food Additives . Language(s):  Korean . Number of pages:  31 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2019/SPS/KOR/19_2653_00_x.pdf  
6. Description of content:  The Republic of Korea is proposing to amend the "Standards 
and S pecifications for the Food Additives":  
1) The synonym and INS No. for sucrose esters of fatty acids are added;  
2) The definition of natural flavouring substances is revised, to include the 
microbiological or enzymatic processes as the manufacture method of natur al 
flavouring substances;  
3) 114 compounds for the synthetic flavouring substances are newly allowed;  
4) The standards for the use of the following 10 food additives are revised:  
Gold leaf, Sorbic acid, Potassium sorbate, Calcium sorbate, Sodium Metabisulfite, 
Potassium Metabisulfite, Sulfur Dioxide, Sodium Bisulfite, Sodium Sulfite, Sodium 
Hydrosulfite.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [  ] animal health, [  ] plant pro tection, 
[ ] 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 G/SPS/N/KOR/639  
 
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  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 Minist ry of Food and Drug Safety Advance Notice No. 2019 -222, 30 April 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) : 5 July 2019  
Agency or authority desig nated 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: +(82 43) 719 1597  
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, 363 -700, Korea  
Tel: +(82 43) 719 1597  
Fax: +(82 43) 719 1550  
E-mail: wtokfda@korea.kr