G/SPS/N/KOR/512  
 
30 July 2015  
(15-3950)  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): Testing laboratories (foods, livestock products, drugs, 
traditional Korean medicinal substances, medical devices, cosmetics) 
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: Proposal to Amend the Testing and Inspection of Food 
and Drugs Act  Language(s): Korean  Number of pages: 12 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2015/SPS/KOR/15_3007_00_x.pdf  
6. Description of content: This proposal seeks to: 
a. Establish a four year expiration date for the designation of Foreign Official 
Laboratories. 
b. Establish administrative measures for case where laboratory personnel do not 
fulfil the mandated annual education. 
c. Establish the legal basis for the operation of Reference Laboratory of Foods 
and Drugs, so as to provide technical assistance to private laboratories and the final verdict regarding disparate laboratory results. 
d. Extend the scope of testing laboratories that utilize the MFDS Laboratory 
Information Management System to all testing laboratories, thereby mandating its use. 
e. Include the Director General of the National Institute of Food and Drug Safety 
Evaluation to the scope of authorities that may be commissioned with the 
authority of the Minister of Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. 
f. Establish penalties for Testing Laboratories that do not report inappropriate 
testing results. 
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.   G/SPS/N/KOR/512 
 
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  8. Is there a relevant international st andard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g. title or serial  n u m b e r  o f  C o d e x  
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:  
Testing and Inspection of Food and Drugs Act (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) : 28 September 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 Korea Ministry of Government Legislation website at 
http://www.law.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 363-700, Korea 
Tel: +(82 43) 719 1559 
Fax: +(82 43) 719 1550 E-mail: wtokfda@korea.kr