How to register your companies to start agri-food exports into South Korea
In order to export agri-food products into South Korea, it is necessary to register export establishments and facilities to Korean authorities in advance. The way of registration differs by kind of products.
1. Frozen/fresh/processed (excluding “sterilized”) pork, beef/veal and poultry meat
These products need registration to both the APQA (Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency) and the MFDS (Ministry of Food and Drug Safety) through GtoG (Government to Government) procedure.
- Please contact relevant sector organizations to start the GtoG procedure. The organizations will guide you for necessary documents and steps to follow: COV for pork/ beef /veal and Nepluvi for poultry meat.
- Pork and poultry meat are registered through paper inspection. All the necessary documents will be submitted to Korean authorities via Sector organizations and LNV(Agriculture office in the embassy of the Netherlands in Seoul). It is registered within 1~2 months after submission.
- Beef/veal is registered through field inspection, which should be scheduled with Korean authorities. Some documents will be requested prior to the field inspection.
- Once registered, no need to renew the registration. A follow-up field inspection could take place upon request of Korean authorities.
2. Dairy products, egg products and sterilized meat
These products need registration to the MFDS through GtoG procedure.
- Please contact relevant sector organizations to start the GtoG procedure. The organizations will guide you for necessary documents and steps to follow: Zuivel NL for dairy products, COV for sterilized meat and Nepluvi/Anevei for egg products.
- They are all registered through paper inspection. All the necessary documents will be submitted to Korean authorities via Sector organizations and LNV(Agriculture office in the embassy of the Netherlands in Seoul). . It is registered within a couple of weeks after submission.
- Once registered, no need to renew the registration. A follow-up field inspection could take place upon request of the MFDS.
3. Hydrolyzed porcine mucosa protein, poultry offal meal and bovine semen
These products need registration to the APQA through GtoG procedure
- Please contact relevant sector organizations or LNV(Agriculture office in the embassy of the Netherlands in Seoul).
- Hydrolyzed porcine mucosa protein and poultry offal meal are registered through field inspection, which should be scheduled with the APQA. Some documents will be requested prior to the field inspection.
- For bovine semen, it is registered through field or paper inspection. The way of inspection should be discussed with the APQA before starting the procedure.
- Once registered, no need to renew the registration. A follow-up field inspection could take place upon request of the APQA.
4. Non-animal food products such as confectionery, beverage, fruits, vegetables and fishery products
These products can be registered online at the MFDS website.
- Please visit the MFDS website to register food manufacturing facilities: click (sign and login needed). It should be registered directly by manufacturers or importers, not traders. It is automatically registered without approval by the MFDS.
- The registration should be renewed every 2 years. A follow-up field inspection could take place upon request of the MFDS.
5. Feed, fertilizer, live animals and ornamental plants
Non-food animal products (excluding the products specified in No.3. Hydrolyzed porcine mucosa protein, poultry offal meal and bovine semen) and ornamental plants don’t need registration for export.
For more information or questions, you can contact the LNV(Agriculture Office in Seoul). E-mail @ seo-lnv@minbuza.nl
