G/SPS/N/KOR/504  
 
1 June 2015  
(15-2836)  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; IC S 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:  The Enforcement Regulation of the Special Act on 
Imported Food Safety Control  Language(s): Korean  Number of pages: 194 
http://www.mfds.go.kr/ind ex.do?mid=688&seq=27627  
6. Description of content: This regulation has been proposed: 
 To mandate foreign food manufacturers or f ood importers to register overseas food 
facilities, to the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), at least seven days prior 
to their first importation, including information such as names, addresses and food 
items, etc. The food products from foreign facilities which failed to be registered can be refused admission into South Korea. The registration should be renewed every 
two years; 
 To provide facilities to be eligible for registration, procedures and methods for 
 
registration and changes of registered information for good importers and foreign 
good food facilities; 
 For cases that are necessary to ensure the sa fety of imported foods, this regulation 
has been proposed to authorize the MFDS or a third certified party appointed by the MFDS to inspect foreign food facilities through arrangements and agreements with 
foreign governments or manufacturers. If a facility refuses to be subject to 
inspection, food import ban from the facility may be possible; 
 To authorize the MFDS to conduct import risk assessment on livestock products 
when requested by exporting countries for export permission. As a result of the 
assessment, the MFDS may notify import sa nitary requirements by country or by 
livestock products; 
 To authorize the MFDS to control businesses in differentiated manner based on 
Custom inspection results, non-compliance history, and other food risk-related information and data; 
 To mandate food importers to declare by submitting necessary documents to the 
MFDS, and to authorize the MFDS to review the documents and conduct lab tests 
when necessary prior to clearance process at border; and 
 To support the safety of food etc. for expo rt by issuing health certificate, etc. to 
certify sanitary status. G/SPS/N/KOR/504 
 
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  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 st andard? 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. 2015-164 (26 May 2015) 
(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) : 31 July 2015 
Agency or authority designated to hand le 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 1559 
Fax: +(82 43) 719 1550 E-mail: wtokfda@korea.kr 
13. Text(s) available from: [ ] National Notifi cation 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 1559 
Fax: +(82 43) 719 1550 
E-mail: wtokfda@korea.kr