G/SPS/N/KOR/522  
 
2 December 2015  
(15-6370)  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): 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: 2023 
http://www.mfds.go.kr/index.do?mi d=688&pageNo=1&s eq=29559&cmd=v  
6. Description of content:  The Republic of Korea is proposing to amend the Standards 
and Specifications for the Food Additives: 
1. General principles for usage and manufactu ring of food addi tives are revised; 
2. The definitions of 31 functional classes are added in general principles, and the 
functional classes are allocated in respective food additive; 
3. The reactions catalyzed of enzymes are adde d in definition of a respective enzyme; 
4. The standards and specifications of the following two food additives are newly 
established: Neotame (as a sweetener), Sodium ferrous citrate (as a nutrient supplement); 
5. The specification of water soluble matters regarding microcrystalline cellulose is 
revised; 
6. Standards for the usage of following five food additives are revised: Sorbic acid, 
potassium sorbate, calcium sorbate, acesulfame potassium, caffeine; 
7. Analytical methods for arsenic are revised, and measurement of arsenic by atomic 
absorption and inductively coupled plasma is newly established. 
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.   
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)    G/SPS/N/KOR/522 
 
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  [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. 2015-390, 27 November 2015 (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) : 31 January 2016 
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 1554 
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 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 1554 
Fax: +(82 43) 719 1550 
E-mail: wtokfda@korea.kr