1 
 
 
 
 
 
Propos al for  Partial Revision  of 
‘Labelling  Standards for Foods ’ 
 
Legislative Notice  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Novem ber, 2008  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Korea Food and Drug Administration   2  
Korea Food and Drug Administration  
Public Announcement  No. 2008 -259  
 
The Korea Food and Drug Ad ministration is proposing partial revision  to the 
‘Labelling  Standards for Foods ’ (Korea Food and Drug Administration Public 
Announcement No.2008 -66, October 08, 2008) . Thereupon, announcing as follow s 
in accordance with Article 46 of  the Administrative Pr ocedures Act, in order to 
notify citizens the intent of the revision , reason for the revision  and the key 
elements of the proposed revision  beforehand and to collect public opinion s. 
 
 
                                                                       
Novem ber 11, 2008  
                                                                                                                                           
Commissioner,                                                                                                                                               
Korea Food and Drug Administration  
 
 
 
 
 
Notice for Proposed Partial  Revision  of  
“Labelling  Standard s for Food s” 
 
 
1. Reason for the revision  
 
The reason for this revision is to provide consumers correct information that  will 
guarantee their selection of foods by improving and complementing loopholes in 
the present  system.  This proposal r equire s the s tateme nt “Dial 1399 without prefix 
to report consumer  complaints”  to be written on the containers  or packages of food 
products  for prompt report when consumer s have complaints against food s or are 
harmed by foods . Measu res to prevent a product that is made of complex 
ingredient s to be indicate d as if it wa s made of  individual ingredient s are also 
included in this proposal.  
  3 2. Key Elements  
 
A. Improve labelling  method for complex ingredient s  
[Attached document 1 of the proposal, Clause  1 Sub-clause A Item7 A)(2)]  
 
(1) At present, w hen labelling  complex ingredient s that are used for  food product s, 
for instance mixed spice  (dadaegi) , the ingredients of mixed spice can be broken 
down into individual ingredients and can be labelled  as such. However the 
ingredients that were actually used for complex ingredient s should be labelled  
and it is necessary to make this as an obligatory provision.  
(2)  Mandate to label the name of complex ingredient and names of its 5 or more 
large ly used ingredients or constituent , except purified water , in parentheses 
when using complex ingredient.  
(3) Expect to deliver consumers correct information.  
 
B. Mandate to label phone number to report consumer complaints  
[Attached document 1 of the proposal, Clause  1 Sub-clause A Item 10 J) Added]  
 
(1) “Dial 1399 without prefix to report consumer complaints”  must be written on 
the containers or packages of food products  for prompt report when consumers 
have complaints against food  or are harmed by food . 
(2) Expect to provide  consumers safe foods by encouraging prompt report on 
illegal foods or substandard foods and responding quickly to the report.  
 
3. Presenting written opinion  
 
Any group  or individuals who have an opinion about this a dministrative notice for  
(Proposed ) Partial Revision of Labelling  Standards for Foods are encourag ed to 
present written opinion to the commissioner of the Korea Food and Drug 
Administration ( Postal Code: 122 -704, Address: 194 Tongilro, Eunpyeong -gu, 
Seoul , CC: Food Safety  Policy  Division Phone 0 2-380-1726~7, Fax 02 -388-6396 ) 
by December 02, 2008. The written opinion should contain the following:  
 
A. Opinion s about the advance notice  (Whether you are for or against it, and the 
reasoning)  
B. Your name (For group s, the name of the group  and name of the 
representative), address and phone number  
C. Other references   4 Korea Food and Drug Administration  
Advance Notice  No. 2008 -259  
 
 
Korea Food and Drug Administration is notifying  the partial revision of Labelling  
Standards for Foods in line with Article 10 of the Food Sanitation Act as follows.  
 
November 11, 2008  
 
                                                                                                                                                                                   
Commissioner,                                                                                                                                               
Korea Food and Drug Administration  
 
 
 
 
Proposed Partial Revisions  of  
Labelling  Standard s for Foods  
 
Revise a part of Label ling Standards for Foods as follows . 
 
In the a ttached document 1 of the proposal, change Clause  1 Sub-clause  A Item 7) 
A) as follows , rescind  (1) in Item 7)C) of the same Sub-clause and add J) to Item 
10) of the same Sub-clause.  
 
A) Labelling  for foods sho uld be carried out as follows.  
 
(1) Every ingredient  used to produce or process the food must be indicated 
(Purified water, which would not remain in the end product , is excluded. The 
same shall apply hereinafter ) in the order of contained quantity . However, the 
names of main ingredients that were defined in ‘ Norm  and standards of food ’ 
in line with Article 7 of the Act can be indicated first, and the ingredients that 
weigh under 2% of the total ingredient s can be indicated without following the 
order of contai ned quantity.  
(2) When complex ingredient s have been used, the name shall be indicated  along 
with the names of its 5 or more largely used ingredients or constituent s except 
purified water in parentheses . However, if a food additive was used and has an 
effect u pon the complex  ingredient, the name of the additive shall be indicated.  
J)  “Dial 1399 without prefix to report consumer complaints” shall be written  on 
the containers or packages of food products for prompt report when consumers 
have complaints against food or are harmed by food.  
 
 
  5  
 
 
Bylaws  
 
Article 1  (Enforcement  date ) This notice  shall take effect on the date the notice 
was announced . 
 
Article 2  (Transitional  measures ) The food products that are same as the ones 
which had been produced or processed o r sold or imported by  persons who  were 
licensed or registered for business at the time  of this notice  came into effect  
complying with the previous labelling  standard s, the previous standard s can be 
applied until July 30, 2010. In this case, products that h ave been shipped for 
importation are included in ‘had imported food products’.  
  6  
Comparison Table of New  vs. Old Provisions  
 
 
Current  Proposed  
 
[Attached Document 1 ]  
 
Detailed labelling  Standards for Foods  
(Article 9 related)  
 
1. General standards for  foods  
 
A. Foods (Including imported foods)  
 
1) ~ 6)  (Omitted)  
 
7) Name of ingredient s and contained   
    quantity  
A) Every ingredient used to produce 
or process the food must be 
indicated (Purified water, which 
would not remain in the end 
product , is exclu ded. The same 
shall apply hereinafter) in the 
order of contained quantity . 
However, the names of the main 
ingredients that were defined in 
norm and standards of food in 
line with Article 7 of the Act can 
be indicated first, and the 
ingredients that weigh u nder 2% 
of the total ingredient s can be 
indicated without following the 
order of contained quantity.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
[Attached Document 1 ]  
 
Detailed labelling  Standards for Foo ds 
(Article 9 related)  
 
1. General standards for foods  
 
A. Foods (Including imported foods)  
 
1) ~ 6)  ( The same as at present ) 
 
7) Name of ingredient and contained  
    quantity  
A) Labelling  foods should be  
carried out  as follows.  
(1) Every ingredient used to 
produce or process the food 
must be indicated (Purified 
water, which would not remain 
in the end product , is excluded. 
The same shall apply 
hereinafter) in the order of 
contained quantity. However, 
the names of the main 
ingredients that were defined in 
‘Norm and standards of food ‘ 
in line with Article 7 of the Act 
can be indicated first, and the 
ingredients that weigh under 2% 
of the total ingredient s can be 
indicated without following the 
order of contained quantity.  
(2) When complex ingredient s 
have been  used, the name shall 
be indicated along with  the 
names of its 5 or more largely 
used ingredients or constituent s 
except purified water in 
parentheses. However, if a food  7  
 
 
 
B) (Omitted)  
 
C)  For the case which falls one of 
the followings can label as 
below regardless the provisions 
A) and B).   
 
(1) When complex ingredient s 
have been used, the name shall 
be indicated along with the 
names of its 5 or more largely 
used ingredients or constituent s 
except purified water in 
parentheses. However, if a food 
additive was used and it has an 
effect upon the complex  
ingredient, the nam e of the 
additive shall be indicated.  
 
(2) ~ (11) (Omitted)  
    
D) ~ F) (Omitted)  
 
    8) ~ 9) (Omitted)  
 
    10)  Other matters to indicate  
           A) ~ I) (Omitted)  
 
           <Added>     
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 additive was used and has an 
effect upon the complex 
ingredient, the name of additive 
shall be indicated.  
 
B) (The same as at present)  
 
C) ---------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
---------------------------------------
------------------------ . 
 
<Rescinded>  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   (2) ~ (11) (The same as at present)  
 
D) ~ F) (The  same as at present)  
   
     8) ~ 9) (The same as at present)  
 
     10)  Other matters to indicate  
           A) ~ I) (The same as at present)  
 
J) “Dial 1399 without prefix to 
report consumer complaints ” shall 
be written on  the containers or 
packages of fo od products for 
prompt report  when consumers ha ve 
complaints against food or are 
harmed by food.