G/SPS/N/KOR/495
5 February 2015 
(15-0785)  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 Imported Food Safety Control Bill  Language(s): 
Korean  Number of pages: 41 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2015/sps/KOR/15_0653_00_x.pdf  
6. Description of content: This Bill has been proposed: 
- To aim at improving people's health by ensuring the safety of imported food and 
ensuring sound transaction in food market by providing correct information to 
consumers; 
- To mandate foreign food manufacturers or food importers to register overseas food 
facilities including names, addresses and food items for the Ministry of Food and 
Drug Safety (MFDS) at least seven days prior to their first importation. The food 
products from foreign faciliti es which failed to be registered can be refused admission 
into South Korea. The registration should be renewed every two years; 
- To authorize the MFDS or the third certif ied party appointed by the MFDS to inspect 
foreign food facilities through making arrangements and agreements with foreign governments or manufacturers, in case of being necessary to ensure the safety of a imported food. If there's any facility's refu sing of inspection authorized by the MFDS, 
food import ban from the facility is possible; 
- To authorize the MFDS to conduct import risk assessment about meat and meat  
products when requested by exporting countries for export permission. As a result of 
the assessment, the MFDS may notify eligible meat and meat products which comply 
with sanitary requirements and standards by country or by product; 
- To mandate food importers to register their business for the MFDS prior to the 
import; 
- To authorize the MFDS to apply differentiated test depending on non-compliance 
history and other risk based data, and 
- To mandate food importers to declare by submitting necessary documents to the 
MFDS, and to authorize the MFDS to review the documents and take a lab test when 
necessary prior to clearance at border. G/SPS/N/KOR/495 
 
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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 Imported Food Safety Control Bill propos ed by the member of the National Assembly 
No. 5394, 10 June 2013 (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) : Twelve months from date of publication. 
[ ] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable 
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 
Tel: +(82 43) 719 1554 
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 National Asse mbly of the Republic of Korea website at 
http://www.assembly.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