CONTACTS:

Send questions by e-mail to: korealist@usdec.org

The Special Act on Imported Food Safety Management (Special Act) was passed in the National Assembly of South Korea last year and went into effect on February 4, 2016. The Special Act requires the mandatory registration of foreign food facilities and livestock establishments (dairy plants) with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS).

Attempting to minimize potential trade disruptions arising from the foreign facility registration, MFDS has assembled a list of dairy facilities with a history of exporting to Korea from June 1998 to February 4, 2016, and will be recognizing these plants as registered facilities. If a livestock facility is considered registered through this grandfathered facilities list, it does not need to register again with MFDS once the plant list requirement is implemented on August 4, 2016.

ACTION REQUIRED: The Korean government is seeking assistance to ensure its compiled list of livestock plants with a history of export to Korea is accurate. The alpha-numeric number in the “code” column is assigned by Korea’s Export System and must not be modified. U.S. dairy exporters are asked to review the MFDS draft list of registered dairy plants (PDF). They should also complete a response page (Word doc) confirming either:

a.       Plant name and address is correct as listed; OR

b.      Plant name and address requires modification; OR

c.       Plant should be removed from the list (duplicate or incorrect listing); OR

d.      Plant should be added to the list (see second chart – Omitted Dairy Plants with an Established Record of Exporting to Korea)

For all active plants, also list whether the plant has a HACCP, ISO or other food safety system in place since MFDS has requested this information.

Responses are due by April 4, 2016 to korealist@usdec.org.  

IMPORTANT: All exporters should again access the list on April 8, 2016 on the USDEC home page to ensure your corrections have been incorporated.

The registration process for dairy plants without a history of exporting to Korea will be provided at a later date as details are being negotiated. Registration of livestock plants will be done through government to government exchange.

Please note that the plant confirmation instructions above apply only to plants producing products that fall under Korea’s Livestock Code (all basic dairy products). Facilities producing products that are regulated by Korea’s Food Code (whey protein body-building blends, colostrum, cheese sauces, etc.) will follow a different process for registration with MFDS. Details on the plant registration process of foreign food facilities will be provided upon request.

All dairy plants and food plants can export to Korea until August 3, 2016. Starting August 4, Korea will only accept exports from registered dairy facilities.

Please contact Matt McKnight or Sandra Benson of the U.S. Dairy Export Council if you have questions. All questions may be addressed to korealist@usdec.org.

 

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The U.S. Dairy Export Council is a non-profit, independent membership organization that represents the global trade interests of U.S. dairy producers, proprietary processors and cooperatives, ingredient suppliers and export traders. Its mission is to enhance U.S. global competitiveness and assist the U.S. industry to increase its global dairy ingredient sales and exports of U.S. dairy products. USDEC accomplishes this through programs in market development that build global demand for U.S. dairy products, resolve market access barriers and advance industry trade policy goals. USDEC is supported by staff across the United States and overseas in Mexico, South America, Asia, Middle East and Europe. The U.S. Dairy Export Council prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, disability, national origin, race, color, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, political beliefs, marital status, military status, and arrest or conviction record. www.usdec.org.