G/SPS/N/KOR/588  
 
8 January 2018  
(18-0153) 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 o r 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: 146 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2018/SPS/KOR/18_0181_0_x.pdf  
6. Description of content: The proposed amendment seeks to:  
1. Establish manufacturing and processing standards for products containing seaweeds as 
an ingredient.  
2. Establish inorganic arsenic standards for food products, including foods for infants and 
young children, containing rice, sea weed (Sargassum fusiforme) or Gulf weed 
(Sargassum fulvell um). 
3. Establish general test methods  
 Establish test methods for two pesticides (Fluxametamide, Tiafenacil) ; 
 Revise and establish test methods for veterinary drugs (Trichlorfon, Metrifonate, 
Amitraz, Emamectin, Diclofenac, Metoserpate, Buquinolate, Gamithromycin, 
Sulfanitran, Sulfapyridine, Isoflupredone acetate) ; 
 Establish a test method for inorganic arsenic in food products containing seaweeds . 
4. Establish and revise MRLs for forty -eight pesticides, including Diquat, in agricultural 
products.  
5. Establi sh and revise MRLs for five veterinary drugs, including Novobiocin, in foods.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [  ] animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other dama ge 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) :  G/SPS/N/KOR/588  
 
- 2 - 
 
  [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. 2017 -473, 28 December 2017  (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 2018  
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:  
International Cooperation Office  
Ministry of Food and Drug safety  
#187 Osongsaengmyeong2 -ro, Osong -eup, Heungdoek -gu Cheongju -si, 
Chungcheongbuk -do 
363-700, Korea  
Tel: +(8 2 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