. /.  WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/KOR/180 
9 March 2005 
 (05-0989) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:   REPUBLIC OF KOREA
 
If applicable, name of local government involved: 
2. Agency responsible:   Ministry of Health and Welfare, Mi nistry of Agricultural and Forestry, 
Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, The Office for Government Policy Coordination 
(The Office of the Prime Minister) 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numbe r(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  The product covered is food in general that includes any substance and product 
that are intended to be, or expected to be ingested by humans.   
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected , to the extent relevant or practicable:  
Republic of Korea and all count ries trading food with ROK.  
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:    
Enactment Of Food Safety Basic Law.  Korean full text:  http:/www.mohw.go.kr  
6. Description of content:   
The Food Safety Basic Law (tentative name) will be enacted as a law to ensure food safety 
and public health, comprehensively aiming at consumer protection and as its basis 
establishes basic principles by:  clarifying the responsibilities of the national, local governments, and food-related business opera tors;  introducing consumer dispute 
meditation system;  and establishing a basic direction for food safety policy formulation. 
Related administrative bodies shall ensure by  taking the necessary measures appropriately 
at each stage of the food supply process to trace the history of food in a series of internal 
and external food supply processes, from the production of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products to food sales. 
Food related business operators that produce, import, sell, or conduct other business for 
foods, food additives or containers and pack ages shall be responsible for appropriately 
taking the necessary measures to ensure food safety at each stage of the food supply process. 
In addition to the provisions of the precedi ng paragraph, food-related business operators 
shall, in conducting their business activities, record and store accurate and appropriate 
information concerning the history of food in a series of internal and external food supply 
processes, from the production of agricultural, forestry, and fishery products to food sales. 
Related administrative bodies may make it publicly  available the result of the objective risk 
assessment on particular food items and the information on business operators involved in 
the handling of such items. G/SPS/N/KOR/180 
Page 2  
 
 7. Objective and rationale:  [ X ] food safety, [ X ] animal health, [ X ] plant protection, 
[ X ] protect humans from anima l/plant pest or disease,  [   ]  protect territory from 
other damage from pests 
8. International standard, guideline or recommendation:  
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [   ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention, [   ] None  
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:   Where these exist, the drafts are in conformity 
with the Codex Alimentarius. 
9. Relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:  MOHW Public 
Notification 2005-49, Published in the Korean Of ficial Gazette 12.Feb .2005, (available in 
Korean). 
10. Proposed date of adoption:   To be determined 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:   2005 (fiscal year) 
12. Final date for comments:  1 May 2005 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification 
authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, or  address, fax number and E-mail address (if 
available) of other body:    
Food Policy Division 
Ministry of Health and Welfare 1 Jungang-Dong, Gwacheon-City, Gyounggi-Do, 427-760 The Republic of Korea 
Tel:  +82-2-504-6233 
Fax:  +82-2-503-7552 E-mail:  hjm0514@mohw.go.kr 
13. Texts available from:  [   ] National notificati on authority, [ X ] National enquiry point, 
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: 
Food Policy Division 
Ministry of Health and Welfare 
1 Jungang-Dong, Gwacheon-City, Gyounggi-Do, 427-760 The Republic of Korea Tel:  +82-2-504-6233 Fax:  +82-2-503-7552 
E-mail:  hjm0514@mohw.go.kr