South Korea notifies WTO of a proposed amendment to food labelling standards.

On January 8, 2025, the South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) of a proposed amendment to food labelling standards. The purpose of the amendment is to better inform consumers to promote public health and to enhance the consumer information and labelling system to protect human health and safety.   

Key Content 

1. Permit the use of labelling stickers in Korean language on food products intended for export. If the products are cancelled for export and not for sale (such as for donation or promotional use), they can simply be re-labelled with stickers in Korean language on top of the original labelling in the foreign language. 

2. Reflecting the amendments of the “Enforcement Rule of the Act on Labelling and Advertising of Foods” in the labelling standards and correcting some words in the standards. 

3. Incorporated the amendments of “Standards and Specifications of Food” and “Standards and Specification of Food Additives” into the labelling standards and overhauling the related regulations: Certain terms and categories will be revised to reduce confusion, including the names of various categories of dried seaweed. 

4. Provide a template for nutrition facts labelling of food products which consist of both processed food and natural products.  

Submission of Comments 

Individuals and organizations are invited to submit a written comment by February 28, 2025.  The date of adoption and entry into force are yet to be determined.