Purpose

For exporters with a track record of exporting below standard food, or those that have been found to contain hazardous materials, onsite inspections will be conducted at the manufacturers' facilities

To identify causes of any food safety contingencies, recommend necessary measures, and ensure that they are implemented

To enhance the safety of food imports in advance, by educating and promoting the ROK's food import system and food criteria & standards

Background

Problems that have arisen during the ROK based customs stage of inspections have prompted the implementation of onsite inspections during the manufacturing and processing stages to ensure the safety of food imports (Foreign Inspection Division was created on Apr. 30, 2009 )

Parliamentary reviews in September 2005 raised serious issues with the Chinese kimchi incident where some shipments of kimchi originating from China were found contaminated with parasite eggs, ultimately leading to the implementation of onsite inspections of exporters' facilities beginning in 2006

Legal Basis

In the process of preparing relevant clauses within the Food Sanitation Act

Outline

Identifying of sanitation in manufacturing facilities

Identification of causes of any inadequate elements or hazards in food products and taking necessary measures to prevent future problems

Briefing session on food import management system (optional)

Providing education and promotion (briefing session on food safety) to exporters on the Republic of Korea's food import system, food criteria & standards

Discussions with relevant officials (optional)

Exchange of information with exporting countries and their food safety management representatives, promotion of understanding on each other's food export import systems (discussions with government officials in relevant divisions)

Criteria to select countries and businesses subject to onsite inspection

Businesses targeted for inspection should first belong to those countries with a track record of exporting a significant volume of products in question and demonstrating frequent inadequate or hazardous materials contaminations. Plus, they need to fall into the following categories

Businesses that have provided products repeatedly violating prescribed import criteria & standards, or containing hazardous materials

Businesses manufacturing import- prohibited food or reported to have food safety problems

Other businesses for which onsite inspections are deemed necessary