RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/SPS/GN/6
4November 1996
ORGANIZATION(96-4623)
Original: English Committee onSanitary andPhytosanitary Measures
INSPECTION AND QUARANTINE
Statement made bytheRepublic ofKorea
atthemeeting of8-9October 1996
1. Inresponse tothestatement made bytheUSdelegation concerning theKorean inspection and
quarantine system, mydelegation would liketomake afewbriefremarks withaviewtosharing the
relevant information withother Members ofthisCommittee.
2. AstheUnited States hasstated, Korea andtheUnited States engaged inbilateral consultations
on18June1996, tonoavail.
3. However, asourdelegation mentioned attheprevious meeting, Korea haslaunched anambitious
programme since earlylastyearaimed atstreamlining andharmonizing itssanitary measures withthe
relevant international principles andstandards. Allofthese actions andmeasures havebeencarried
outinaccordance withKorea 'sobligations under theWTO Agreements andother relevant international
treaty commitments.
4. Concerning theparticular issueofinspection andquarantine system, irrespective oftheongoing
WTO dispute settlement procedure, Korea hasalready taken thenecessary steps under itsoverall
improvement planwiththefirmintention toachieve anadvance system. Weanticipate thattheimproved
measures inthisfieldwillenter intoforce bytheendofthisyear, iftherelevant administrative and
legislative procedures arefinalized asintended.
5. LetmeciteafewexamplesofthemeasureswhichhavebeenplannedbytheKoreanGovernment.
(a) Random Sampling
TheKorean Government willintroduce arandom sampling scheme bytheendofthismonth,
withaviewtoreducing theratioofitems subject tolaboratory testing andenhancing theefficiency
ofinspection.
(b) Fumigation Treatment
Already inDecember 1995, Korea introduced theconcept ofquarantine pestsofIPPC through
therevision ofthePlant Protection Act. Quarantine pestsarelimited topestsnotfound inKorea and
those officially being controlled iftheyarefound inKorea. These pestsaretobedetermined through
pestriskanalysis. Accordingly, fumigation requirements forcosmopolitan pestswillbeabolished by
theendofthisyearwhen therevised Plant Protection Actanditsministerial regulations takeeffect.
./.G/SPS/GN/6
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(c) Mandatory Sorting Requirement
Bytheendofthisyear, weplantoabolish thecurrent mandatory sorting ofspoiled agricultural
productspriortocustomsclearancethrougharevisionoftheMinisterialOrdinanceoftheFoodSanitation
Act,leaving theresponsibility forthismatter totheimporters.
(d) Ingredient Reporting
Theexisting reporting requirement ofallingredient percentages willbeamended. Under the
newly envisaged system, reporting ofthepercentage willberequired onlyformainingredients, while
onlythenames ofother ingredients arenecessary. Such aminimum level ofreporting isdeemed
necessary toconfirm andidentify thecategorization ofproducts.
(e) Incubation Testing
TheKoran Government isinthefinalstage ofreviewing thetechnical dataprovided bythe
United States regarding theMedfly eradication programme inCalifornia. Atpresent, wearepositively
considering theUSreport. Itherefore believe thattheKorean Government willofficially notify the
United States ofitsfinaldecision ontheincubation testing issue inthenearfuture.
6. Finally, Iassure theCommittee thatKorea willcontinue itseffort tostreamline itsSPSsystem
andwealsolookforward toreaching amutually satisfactory resolution tothisissue between Korea
andtheUnited States.