G/SPS/N/KOR/625  
 
8 January 2019  
(19-0083) 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: Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA), Ministry for 
Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA)  
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): Plants and plant 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: Amended requirement of Phytosanitary Certificate for 
plants for planting or propagation according to the amendment of Plant Protection Act of 
the Republic of Korea . Language(s): . Number of pages:  
6. Description of content: The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affair (MAFRA) has 
amended the Plant Protection Act. The main revision of Plant Protection Act is the 
following: All plants for planting or propagation, which are imported by hand -carry, mail, 
courier service or moving items, shall submit a Phytosanitary Certificate. However, 
Phytosanitary Certificate of plants for p lanting or propagation may be exempted when 
quantity is below specified amount and special permit is issued. MAFRA will notify the 
details of this exemption soon.  
More information on Plant Protection Act (in Korean) can be found at the MAFRA's website 
(http://www.mafra.go.kr/ ). 
7. Objective and rationale: [  ] food safety, [  ] animal health, [X]  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) :  
[X] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) : ISPMs 1, 
7, 11, 12 and 32  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[X] Yes   [  ] No G/SPS/N/KOR/625  
 
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  If no, describe, when ever possible, how and why it deviates from the 
international standard:  
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:   
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 31 December 2018  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 31 December 2018  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , 
and/or  (dd/mm/yy) : 1 July 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) : 9 March 2019  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [  ] National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address 
(if ava ilable) of other body:  
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs/MAFRA  
94 Dasom2 -ro, Government Complex -Sejong, Sejong -si 339 -012, Republic of Korea  
Tel: +(82 44) 201 2080/2081  
Fax: +(82 44) 868 0449  
E-mail: wtoagri@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:   
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs/MAFRA  
94 Dasom2 -ro, Government Complex -Sejong, Sejong -si 339 -012, Republic of Korea  
Tel: +(82 44) 201 2080/2081  
Fax: +(82 44) 868 0449  
E-mail: wtoagri@korea.kr