G/SPS/N/KOR/659  
 
28 August 2019  
(19-5529) 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):  The following categories of food have been returned from the 
customs after Cs -134 or Cs -137 w as detected between March 2011 and July 2019:  
- Processed f ood ( 10): solid tea, infused tea, other processed products, processed 
saccharide products, other processed fishery products, beverage base, processed 
chocolate  products , instant coffee, roasted coffee , natural spice ; 
- Agricultural produce (3): Elettaria car damomum  Maton, blueberries, coffee beans;  
- Food additive (2): mixed preparations, alkali additives for noodle preparations;  
- Health functional food (2): Zinc supplement, bilberry extract.  
(Food categorization is based on Korea Food Code, Korea Food Additive Code, Korea 
Health Functional Food Code.)  
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:  Notification on incr easing samples for radionuclides 
testing at the border . Language(s):  Korean . Number of pages:  2 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2019/SPS/KOR/19_4618_00_x.pdf  
6. Description of content:  Since major nuclear power plant accidents, Korea has 
strengthene d testing of Cs -134, Cs -137 and I -131 for imported food at the border. Based 
on the analysis of test data for recent five years, inspectors will collect the double amount 
of samples for radionuclides testing at the border. The products under increased samp ling 
are limited to the food categories which have been returned from the customs after Cs -134 
or Cs -137 was detected. Currently inspectors collect 1 kg of samples from each lot by 
random sampling plans. Inspectors will collect 2 kg s of samples from each l ot to assure 
representativeness of the sample.  
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) :  G/SPS/N/KOR/659  
 
- 2 - 
 
  [ ] 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 de viates from the 
international standard:   
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  
Notification on increasing samples for radionuclides testing at the border, 21 August 2019  
(available in Korean)  
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 21 August 2019  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 21 August 2019  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) : 23 August 2019  
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [X]  Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : 27 October 2019  
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:   
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 1564  
Fax: +(82 43) 719 1550  
E-mail: intmfds@korea.kr