KOREA

Capital: Seoul
Population:  48,755,000
Currency: Won
Official Language(s): Korean

I. CHEMICAL MAXIMUM RESIDUE LEVELS (MRLs)

II. CHEMICALS AND ADDITIVE INFORMATION

    A. Chemical residue standards:

      Korea uses its own standards. The Korea Food & Drug Administration (KFDA) is responsible for regulating pesticide residues in foodstuffs, in accordance with the maximum residue levels (MRLs) set in the Food Code.   As of July 2006, KFDA had set MRL in foods for 370 pesticides.  The established Korean MRL is always applied first.  If a pesticide, where residue limits for an agricultural product is not established is detected in the agricultural product in question, the following tentative limits shall apply to determine whether the product is acceptable or not:

      1.  The Codex MRL, if established for an individual commodity, e.g. cherry, shall apply.  The Codex crop group MRL does not apply, e.g. stone fruit.

      2.  If the provision above in 1 is not applicable, the lowest residue of a similar agricultural product within the same type; however, in the case of fruits, the lowest MRL of the group shall apply.  (For example, "type" is "fruits" and "group" is "stone fruits".

      3. If the provision above in 1 and 2 are not applicable, the lowest of the residue limits of the pesticide shall apply.

      This is intended to be an initial guide to the export trade in certain deciduous tree fruits.  Commercially important information, such as MRLs, should be rechecked and verified with knowledgeable parties in the country of interest prior to sales or shipment.

    B. Monitoring chemical residues:

      Korea actively monitors chemical residues in imported fruits.  The Korean Food and Drug Administration (KFDA) will detain and sample shipments for primarily two reasons.  The first is when a new packinghouse/exporter/importer combination, not previously tested, is noted at time of customs clearance.  Also, KFDA conducts a random hold and test pesticide residue detection program, not expected to exceed 5% of the shipments of any commodity.  Fruit can be moved to customers’ cold storage facilities while awaiting testing results.  It is estimated that about 10% of the shipments are going through the hold and test program for either of these two reasons.  While most loads clear customs the day submitted, USDA/FAS personnel in Seoul indicate that loads submitted for customs clearance later in the week may not clear customs in time for weekend promotions if randomly chosen for pesticide residue testing.  [The NHC has expressed the view that a hold and test procedure represents a punitive action resulting in market disruption and potential fruit quality loss when fruit is held without any evidence that residue violations are likely.  The NHC has urged USDA/FAS to work with KFDA and seek a modification of this program that either exempts Pacific Northwest fruit because of our positive track record or limits the program to sample and release testing until violations are noted in the commodity.  (7/11/2011)]

    C. Restrictions on use of waxes:

      Korea allows the use of five different types of wax as food additives: beeswax, petroleum wax, carnauba wax, rice bran wax and candelilla wax. These five waxes do not have a tolerance level (MRL) set.  Food additives which are listed in the Korean Food Additive Code but do not have a MRL set, should be used following good manufacturing practices.

III. ORGANIC FRUIT REGULATIONS

Imported produce to be labeled in Korean as organic must receive certification from an official agency recognized by the National Agricultural Products Quality management Service (NAQS) of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF).  NAQS has officially designated 31 Korean certification agencies.  No foreign entities have been designated.  Produce certified as organic by U.S. entities still needs to be certified by NAQS approved agencies in order to carry a Korean language organic label.  A foreign language organic label (such as the USDA organic logo) is permitted as long as "organic" is not included in the Korean language label.

IV. TARIFFS

    Effective January 1, 2004, the applied tariff rates are as follows:

    Apples       45% (WTO concessive rate)
    Pears             45% (General tariff)
    Cherries         24% (WTO concessive rate)

V. NON-TARIFF BARRIERS

    A. Labeling requirements:

      All imported food products are required to have Korean language labels.  For agricultural products that are packed in a box or container such as bagged or boxed cherries, Korean language labels should contain the following inscriptions printed in letters large enough to be readily legible:   product name, producer, packing date, contents and other items such as storage condition.  The Korean Customs Service now requires Country of Origin marks on packing containers.

      Products on which Korean labels can be omitted:  Agricultural products which are not put in a container and package and are in the natural state are exempted from Korean label requirements.

      Korea requires that Country of Origin (COOL) labels be on each apple and pear.  The COOL indication may be an edible ink stamp or a sticker.  Cherries are exempt from this requirement.

    B. Licenses and quotas:

      An importer must be a licensed businessman.   Once an importer receives a license to conduct foreign trade business, he is free to import without requiring any further licensing.

    C. Currency Issues:

      Korean foreign exchange transactions are strictly controlled by the Foreign Exchange Control Law.

    D. Pest and plant disease restrictions:

      Apples and pears from the United States are not allowed to be imported due to alleged phytosanitary concerns.

      Cherries must be fumigated, according to requirements outlined by USDA APHIS, accompanied by federal phytosanitary certificate and inspected on arrival in Korea.  As of May 12, 2003, entry of all varieties of fresh sweet cherries from specific counties in California, Idaho, Oregon and Washington is approved.

      Cherries are permitted from the following states and counties in the Northwest:  Idaho - Ada, Canyon, Gem, Payette, Twin Falls and Washington; Oregon - Umatilla and Wasco; and Washington - Adams, Benton, Chelan, Douglas, Franklin, Grant, Kittitas, Klickitat, Okanogan, Walla Walla and Yakima.  Fumigation requirements may be obtained from state departments of agriculture commodity inspection representatives in each state.

E.  Solid Wood Packing Material (SWPM) Regulations:

VI. SUBSIDIES

None.

VII.  MARKETING REPRESENTATIVES FOR PACIFIC NORTHWEST TREE FRUIT INDUSTRY

Northwest Cherry Growers/Washington State Fruit Commission:

Ken Yang
Korea Business Services
Seoul, Korea
Voice:   011-822-786-7701
Fax:      011-822-786-7704
E-mail:  kyang@kbsinc.co.kr 

VIII.  OTHER RESOURCE LINKS:

Governmental: 

IX. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

U.S. apple and pear imports are prohibited due to alleged phytosanitary concerns such as codling moth and fire blight. However, the key reason for exclusion of apple and pear imports is protection of domestic production.

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On June 30, 2007, the U.S. and Republic of Korea signed a free trade agreement.  The Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement was further negotiated on December 3, 2010.  President Obama signed the U.S. implementing legislation on October 21, 2011.

The two governments must now implement the agreement so that the trade benefits may be realized.  Implementation should occur some time in 2012.

105 South 18th Street, Suite 105
Yakima, Washington 98901, USA
Voice: (509) 453-3193, Fax: (509) 457-7615

E-mail general@nwhort.org