RESTRICTED
WORLD TRADE G/SPS/N/KOR/5
5May1995
ORGANIZATION
(95-1171)
Committee onSanitary andPhytosanitary Measures
NOTIFICATION
1. Member toAgreement notifying: REPUBLIC OFKOREA
Ifapplicable, name oflocal government involved:
2. Agency responsible: Ministry ofHealth andWelfare
3. Products covered (HSorCCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading.
ICSnumbers may beprovided inaddition, where applicable): Fresh foodproducts which
cannot bestored forlengthy periods. (Alistoftheitems isattached.)
4. Title andnumber ofpages ofthenotified document: Amendment oftheImported Food
Products Management Guideline, 5pages.
5. Description ofcontent:
- Thesaleoffood products which cannot bestored forlengthy period willbe
allowed before thecompletion ofthelaboratory testunder certain conditions.
- Food products ofthesame country oforigin, typeofproduct, portofshipment,
importer, andexporter tothose thathavealready passed thelaboratory testand
which areimported within two(2)months oftheprevious laboratory testwillbe
exempted from thelaboratory test.
- When aproduct which failed topassthesanitary inspection isre-imported, it
shall besubject tothelaboratory testforatleast five(5)consecutive
importations.
6. Objective andrationale: Toimprove sanitary inspection procedures forimported food
products.
7. Aninternational standard, guideline orrecommendation does notexist [x].
Ifaninternational standard, guideline orrecommendation exists, whenever possible,
identify deviations:
8. Relevant documents: Seetheattached document
9. Proposed date ofadoption andentry intoforce: Inforce since 4April 1995
10. Final date forcomments:
11. Texts available from: National enquiry point [x]oraddress andtelefax number ofother
body:
International Cooperation Division
Ministry ofHealth andWelfare
1Choongang dong, Kwachon city,Kyunggi do,
427-790 Korea
Fax: 82-2-503-7568 Tel: 82-2-503-7524G/SPS/N/KOR/5
Page2
IMPROVEMENT OFSANITARY INSPECTION PROCEDURES
FOR IMPORTED FOOD PRODUCTS
April 1995
Bureau ofFood Affairs
Ministry ofHealth andWelfare
A. Current Statutory Requirements
1. Article 11oftheMinisterial Regulations ontheFood Sanitation Law
a. Acustoms declaration completion certificate forfoodproducts maybeissued
before thecompletion ofsanitary inspection incases where there isurgency
under thefoodsupply policy orwhere theproducts cannot bestored forlengthy
periods.
2. TheImported Food Products Management Guideline (7July1993)
a. Food products eligible tobeissued customs declaration completion certificates
prior tothecompletion oflaboratory testing include:
(1) Liveanimal andfishandshellfish products;
(2) Fresh fruits andvegetables;
(3) Fresh chilled fishandshellfish products;
(4) Natural products imported forthepurpose ofcontrolling thedomestic
demand-supply ofrawmaterials (except forwheat andcorn); and
(5) Foodproducts imported urgently forthepurpose ofpricestabilization.
b. Aletter ofcompliance shallbesubmitted bytheimporter acknowledging the
obligation thathe/she willkeepthecustoms-cleared foodproducts inaspecific
location, determined byhimself/herself, andwilleither sellordestroy them
according tonotification oftheresults ofthesanitary inspection.
B. Measures Taken toImprove theCurrent System
1. Food products imported fordemand-supply control purposes, andthose eligible for
thecustoms-clearance-before-sanitary-inspection system, asdescribed bytheImported
Food Products Management Guideline, maybesoldprior tothecompletion ofthe
laboratory testunder thefollowing conditions:
a. Theimporter shallsubmit thedistribution orsalesplanandkeepthedistribution
orsalesrecord;
b. Thesanitaryinspectionofficeswillpromptlynotifytotheimporteroftheresults
ofthelaboratory test; andG/SPS/N/KOR/5
Page3
c. Ifproduct failsthelaboratory test,theheadofthesanitary inspection office
willrequest attheMinistry ofHealth andWelfare (MOHW), mayors and
governors, andtheimporter torecall anddestroy theproduct inquestion.
TheMOHW, mayors andgovernors, andtheimporter shallrecall anddestroy
theproducts inquestion following suchrequests.
2. Taskforces willbeorganized within sanitary inspection offices, inorder toexpedite
thesanitary inspection procedure asfollows:
a. Theduration oflaboratory testing willbeshortened fromthecurrent 25days
toamaximum of5days; and
b. Coverage ofresidue testing procedures willbemodified toconcern primarily
Category No.1andNo.2pesticides asdescribed intheOfficial Directive
"Food Distribution No.65430-1901" of28December 1994. Residue testing
oncategoryNo.3,No.4andNo.5pesticideswillbeconductedsimultaneously
withresidue testing onCategory No.1andNo.2pesticides onlyifsuch
simultaneous testing ispossible.
3. Foodproductsofthesamecountryoforigin,typeofproduct,portofshipment,importer
andexporter tothose thathavealready passed laboratory testandwhich areimported
within two(2)months oftheprevious laboratory testwillbeexempted from the
laboratory test.
4. Utilization oftheGreen Card System willbeencouraged.
5. When aproduct which failed topassthesanitary inspection isre-imported, itshall
besubject tothelaboratory testforatleastfive(5)consecutive importations.
6. Fieldstudies onfarms andcollection stations ofexporting countries maybeconsidered.
Insuchcases:
a. Expenses willbeborne bythebeneficiaries ofthefieldstudy;
b. Field studies willfocus onresearching theactual utilization ofpesticides and
collecting samples;
c. Once afieldstudy iscompleted, thesanitary inspection offoodproducts
imported fromthecountry where thefieldstudy hasbeenconducted willfocus
onlyonthepesticides which havebeenidentified through thefieldstudy.
C. Administrative Measures
1. Theabove-mentioned improvements inmeasures areeffective asof4April 1995and
theImported Food Products Guideline willberevised accordingly inJuly1995.
2. Theabove-mentionedmeasuresareapplicabletofoodproductslistedinparagraphA.2.a
above, excluding item(1).