South Korea's Food Safety New Regulations Countdown: Starting from October, Import Threshold Will Soar, HACCP Certification Becomes the Death Mark, What Should Overseas Manufacturers Do?

On August 23, 2024, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) announced an important policy decision. To ensure the safety and quality of imported food, HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) certification will be mandatory for some imported food, the ministry said. The implementation of this policy will take effect from October 1, 2024.

Specifically, from October 1, 2024, all cabbage and kimchi products manufactured overseas must obtain HACCP certification for imported food in order to successfully pass the import customs clearance process in South Korea. The so-called cabbage kimchi, mainly refers to cabbage as the main raw material, by adding various seasonings and after fermentation or processing and made of pickled food. The introduction of this policy will undoubtedly have a significant impact on overseas cabbage and kimchi manufacturers, who must complete HACCP certification within the specified time to ensure that their products can continue to enter the Korean market.