G/SPS/N/KOR/548  
 
6 September 2016  
(16-4739) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Meas ures  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 additives  
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: Proposed amendments to the Standards and 
Specifications for Food Additives . Language(s): Korean . Number of pages: 71 
http://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2016/SPS/KOR/16_3720_00_x.pdf  
6. Description of content: The Republic of Korea is proposing to amend the Standards 
and Specifications for the Food Additives.  
1. The standards and specifications of the following food additiv e are newly 
established:  
Cross -linked  sodium carboxymethyl cellulose.  
2. The definition or description of following four food additives are revised:  
Carbon dioxide, si licon dioxide, β-glucanase, Kuk.  
3. The specifications including test methods for identity and purity of 17 food additives 
are revised:  
Monosodium L -glutamate, dammar gum, calcium oxide, steviol glycoside, rice bran 
wax, oxystearin, quillaia extract, silicon resin, magnesium carbonate, calcium 
carbonate, tert -butylhydroquinone, polysorbate 80, polyi sobutylene, aluminium 
potassium sulfate, enzymatically modified stevia, mixed preparations containing 
carbonates, mixed preparat ion containing sodium saccharin.  
4. The standards for the use of the following 12 food additives are revised:  
Sorbic acid, potassiu m sorbate, calcium sorbate, sodium saccharin, calcium oxide, 
calcium stearoyl lactylate, magnesium L -lactate, potassium lactate, potassium 
carbonate anhydrous, polyvinyl alcohol, polyvinyl pyrrolidone, polyethylene glycol.  
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/548  
 
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  8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[ ] Codex Alimen tarius 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 Ministry of Food and Drug Safety Advance Notice No. 2016 -332, 30 August 2016  
(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/m m/yy) : 5 November 2016  
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 Fo od 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 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, 363 -700, Korea  
Tel: +(82 43) 719 1559  
Fax: +(82 43) 719 1550  
E-mail: wtokfda @korea.kr