Special Act on Imported Food Safety Control

Legislation no.: 
32
First published: 
03.02.2015
First EIF: 
04.02.2016
Latest published: 
31.12.2018
Legislation Status: 
In force
Product categories: 
Latest notification: 
Notes: 

Previously notified in N2KOR15, N2KOR39 and N3KOR13
Food, food additives, apparatus, containers and packages; Health functional foods

The purpose of this Act is to contribute to a sound trade order and improve people's health by ensuring the safety of imported food etc., promoting the quality of such imports and providing proper information.

- Products subject to the Food Hygiene Law such as foods, except for the following specified below, may be imported as long as they meet the standards and specifications under Article 7 or 9 of the Food Hygiene Act, and must report to the Commissioner of Food and Drug Safety each time they are imported.

- Food or food additives shall be reported to the Commissioner of the local Food and Drug Administration in accordance with Article 20 of the Special Act on Imported Food Safety Management.

- The following may be reported to the Commissioner of the local Food and Drug Administration in accordance with the provisions of Article 20 of the Act on Health Functional Foods, Article 14 and 15, as well as the provisions of Article 20 of the Special Act on Imported Food Safety Management.

- Food items must be reported to the Director of the Agricultural and Livestock Quarantine Headquarters (including the Director of Quarantine Inspection Office) in accordance with Article 20 of the Special Act on Imported Food Safety Management.

- Imports under the food hygiene law may be carried out only as long as they meet the standards and specifications under Article 7 or 9 of the Food Hygiene Act.

- Food hygiene law shall be reported to the Commissioner of the local Food and Drug Administration pursuant to Article 20 of the Special Act on Imported Food Safety Management.

- Imports under The Food Hygiene Act may be carried out as long as they meet the standards and specifications under Article 7 or 9 of the Food Sanitation Act.

- When imported from a country designated by the Commissioner of the Korea Food and Drug Administration with respect to mad cow disease (BSE) etc., manufactured and processed ruminant axis as raw materials cannot be imported due to interim import declarations. In the case of importation, the importer can attach a certificate stating that he / she did not use any raw materials from a country which has been suspended under the temporary import declaration.

- Food and food additives may be imported as long as they meet the standards and specifications separately announced by the Commissioner of the Korea Food and Drug Administration.

- Other products may be imported only with the confirmation of the competent director.

- Appliances, containers and packaging that have come into contact with food, food additives, nutraceuticals or livestock products shall be reported to the Commissioner of the local Food and Drug Administration in accordance with Article 20 of the Special Act on Imported Food Safety Management.

1. Add administrative body for submission of applications: Ministry of Food and Drug Safety
2. Modification of the official English name of the administrative body for submission of applications: Regional Food and Drug Administration → Regional office of Food and Drug Safety