G/TBT/N/KOR/726  
 
5 September 2017  
(17-4722) 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: Korea Forest Service (KFS)  
Name and address (including telephone 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:   
189, Cheongsa -ro, seo -gu, Daejeon, 35208, Republic of Korea  
Tel: (+82) 42 481 4085  
Fax: (+82) 42 481 8884  
E-mail: earlybird36@korea.kr  
Website: http://www.forest.go.kr  
3. Notified under  Article 2.9.2 [ X], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [  X ], 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): 4403: 
Wood in the rough, whether or not stripped of bark or sapwood, or roughly squared - 
4407: Wood sawn or chipp ed lengthwise, sliced or peeled, whether or not planed, sanded 
or end jointed, of a thickness exceeding 6 mm - 4408: Wood sawn or chipped lengthwise, 
sliced or peeled, whether or not planed, sanded or end jointed, of a thickness exceeding 6 
mm - 4409: Wood  continuously shaped along any of its edges, ends or faces, whether or 
not planed, sanded or end jointed - 4412: Plywood, veneered panels and similar laminated 
wood  
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: Proposed 
Amendments to  the Enforcement Decree of the Act on the Sustainable Use of Timbers 
(4 pages, in Korean) Proposed Amendments to the Enforcement Rule of the Act on the 
Sustainable Use of Timbers (9 pages, in Korean)    
6. Description of content: Major Content:  
 When importing timber or timber products, importers shall file an import 
declaration with the Minister of the Korea Forest Service  
 The Minister of the Korea Forest Service shall require on inspection agency to 
inspect the relevant documents before the completion of customs clearance  
 Where an inspection agency inspects documents, it shall verify whether any 
document falls under the requirements pursuant to Article 19 -3-2 
 The Minister of the Korea Forest Service may issue an order to suspend the sale, 
return or destroy such timber or timber product that fails to verify timber legality  G/TBT/N/KOR/726  
 
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  7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable: To restrict illegal logging and associated trade and join international efforts to 
conserve forest environment by means of establishing import declaration and inspection 
systems for timber or timber products  
8. Relevant documents:  KFS Public Notice No. 2017 -203 & 2017 -204 
9. Proposed date of adoption: 22 March 2018  
Proposed date of entry into force: 22 March 2018  
10. Final date for comments: 60 days from notification  
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other bod y:  
Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Division, Korean Agency for Technology and Standards 
(KATS)  
93 Isu -ro Maengdong -myeon Eumseong -gun Chungcheongbuk -do, 27737, Republic of 
Korea  
Tel: (+82) 43 870 5525  
Fax: (+82) 43 870 5682  
E-mail: tbt@kats.go.kr  
Website: http://www.knowtbt.kr  
 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2017/TBT/KOR/17_3917_00_x.pdf  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2017/TBT/KOR/17_3917_01_x.pdf