G/TBT/N/KOR/447  
 
9 October 2013  
(13-5476)  Page: 1/2  
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
NOTIFICATION 
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6 
 
1. Notifying Member:  REPUBLIC OF KOREA  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):     
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Food and Drug Safety 
Name and address (including telephon e and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above :   
International Cooperation Office 
Ministry of Food and Drug Safety 
187 Osongsaengmyeong2-ro, Osong-eup, Cheongwon-gun,  Chungcheongbuk-do, 363-700  Republic of Korea   
Tel:  (+82) 43 719-1564 
Fax:  (+82) 43-719-1550 Email:  wtokfda@korea.kr  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:   
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading. ICS numbers may be provided  in addition, where applicable):  Foods. 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:  Proposed 
Revision of the Labelling Standards for Foods (53 pages, in Korean).      
6. Description of content:  MFDS proposed the following revisions to the Labelling 
Standards for Foods to ease restrictions on food labelling and promote public health: 
- To require a label on the utensils and containers for food contact so as to clearly 
distinguish food-contact equipment from non-food contact equipment; 
- To  amend the existing term "irradiated food s" which will state 'the specific kind of 
irradiation used, the way of treatment and its purpose';  
- To delete provisions on the labeling organic food products from the Labeling 
Standards for Foods  as the Regulation on Promotion of Environment-friendly 
Agriculture and Fisheries, and Management and Support for Organic Food  came 
into effect on 12 June 2013; 
- To revise the consumer warning statement for 'food cans with easy open end' for 
consumer safety; 
- To enlarge minimum font size of labelling (the expiration date and best before 
date) and the warning labels for foods containing high caffeine. 
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable:  Provision of better information for consumers and promotion of public 
health.  G/TBT/N/KOR/447 
 
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  8. Relevant documents:   The Ministry Food and Drug Safety Advance Notice No. 2013-
199, 2 October 2013 (available in Korean).   
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:    To be determined To be determined 
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from date of notification. 
11. Text available from:  National enquiry point [X], or address, telephone and fax 
numbers, e-mail and web-site addresse s, if available of the other body:    
Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Division 
Korean Agency for Technology and Standards (KATS) 
96 Gyoyukwongil  
Gwacheon-si, Gyeonggi-do Rep. of  Korea 427-716 Tel.:  (+82) 2509 7254/7255 
Fax:  (+82) 2509 7307 
E-mail:  tbt@kats.go.kr  
Website:  http://www.knowtbt.kr  
Documents are available from the Korea Food and Drug Administration website 
(http://www.mfds.go.kr ). 
http://members.wto.org/crnattach ments/2013/tbt/KOR/13_4008_00_x.pdf