The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) of South Korea issued Notice No. 2024-26, amending the Regulations on Declaration and Inspection of Imported Food which took effect on 14 June 2024.  

The amendment aims to streamline the import application process while strengthening oversight and risk management measures. It expands the scope to include raw materials (excluding aquatic products) declared by registered food production, processing enterprises, and food additive manufacturers.  

The following are the key highlights of the updated regulation: 

1. Expanding the Scope of Planned Import Applications: The regulation expands the application eligibility for planned imports of raw materials used in the production of a company's own products. This includes registered food manufacturers, food additive producers, and professional distributors. Applicants must submit test reports from MFDS-recognized foreign laboratories. 
2. Intensified Inspections on Chinese Imports: The regulation introduces more rigorous inspections, including precise checks and random sampling, for specific food items imported from China, such as soybeans, millet, red beans, persimmons, burdock, and pumpkins. 
3. Alignment with Expiration Date Labeling: The wording in the standards has been revised to align with the implementation of the expiration date labeling system. 
4. Increase in Pesticide Residue Monitoring: The number of pesticide residue testing items for the initial precise inspection has been increased from 113 to 128. This will help to comprehensively detect and monitor the pesticide residues in imported foods, ensuring food safety. 

The Export Marketing Bureau strongly advises Philippine exporters to comply with food safety regulations to ensure the continued acceptance of their products in South Korea and other export markets. 

For further questions and clarifications, you may contact EMB Market and Product Officers at mid@dti.gov.ph and famd@dti.gov.ph respectively.