1. Definition
In South Korea, the food category of "beverage(음료류)" includes eight items, namely, Teas, Coffee, Fruit/Vegetable Beverages, Carbonated Beverages, Soy Milks, Fermented Beverages, Ginseng/Red Ginseng Beverages, and Other Beverages.
2. Competent authority
Competent authority | Responsibility |
Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS, formerly known as the Korea Food & Drug Administration or KFDA) | Law Making New ingredient and standard recognition Business registration Foreign food facility registration Product post-marketing inspection Food label and advertisement inspection |
3. Market access approval
3.1 Essential prerequisite for import
Only the beverages that comply with the standards in Food Code can be exported to South Korea. The product compliance requirements for each beverage product are listed in Chapter 4 Product Compliance of this pedia.
3.2 Business Registration
Overseas companies intending to sell products to South Korea shall register the import business with MFDS or appoint an agent to conduct the business registration.
The import business registrations include four types:
(1) Business of importing and selling imported food, etc.:
(2) Business of filing import declarations of imported food, etc., by proxy;
(3) Business of online purchasing of imported food, etc., by proxy;
(4) Business of storing imported food, etc.
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3.3 Foreign Food Facility Registration
As stipulated in the Imported Food Act, foreign food facility registration (해외제조업소 등록) is mandatory for all imported food products, which should be completed by business entities before exporting.
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3.4 Import Declaration
Business entity shall file an import declaration of the relevant foods with the MFDS. The ingredient information needs to be filed in the import declaration application letter.
The submission dossier for import declaration includes an application letter along with the following:
A wrapper printed in Korean (including wrappers to which a label printed in Korean is attached) or a document introducing the label content in Korean; A test or inspection report (applicable to imported foods subject to a thorough test); GM food-relevant certificates (applicable for food using GM materials); A statement of reasons for setting the expiration date (applicable to original equipment manufacturer (OEM)); An exporting plan (applicable to the importation of raw materials for earning foreign currency); A copy of the business approval or manufacture item report (applicable to the importation of raw materials for earning foreign currency); Other supplementary certificates required by MFDS. |
3.5 Import Inspection
The imported foods whose import declaration has been filed, are subject to necessary inspections before customs clearance formalities.
MFDS adopts four types of imported inspections: document inspection, on-site inspection (sensory test), thorough inspection (the strictest inspection), and random sampling inspection. Foods imported to South Korea for the first time must undergo a thorough inspection.
4 Product Compliance
4.1Product Requirements
4.1.1 General Requirements for Food Materials
Food Materials |
Ingredients that can be used in food: (1) Ingredients listed in the Attached Table 1 Permitted Raw Materials under Food Code Ingredients listed in Article 4 of Chapter 1, General Provision under Food Code |
Restricted Ingredients: 1) Ingredients listed in the Attached Table 2 Limited Raw Materials under Food Code (2) The restricted ingredients must be used in foods under the requirements specifiedfor each food product. If no restrictions are specified, the following usage criteria shall apply: a. The restricted ingredients must be less than 50% of the raw materials in weight (excluding dilution) before processing. b. When two or more restricted ingredients are mixed during manufacturing, the mixture must be less than 50% of the raw materials in weight (excluding dilution) before processing. c. However, for restricted ingredients not for sale but for supply to other manufacturing facilities, the provisions of a and b may not apply. d. For beverages, alcoholic beverages, and seasonings, if there is only one restricted ingredient and the ingredient is plant-based, the restricted ingredient can be used up to 100% in weight (excluding dilution). |
Other ingredients To ingredients other than the above two kinds, the enterprises should apply for temporary recognition from MFDS following the Standard of Recognizing Food's Temporary Standard and Specification. |
Other points need to be noted:
The ginseng, red ginseng and black ginseng used in food products shall comply with Ginseng Industry Act. |
The water for food production shall comply with the drinking water quality standards specified in the Drinking Water Management Act, as well as the standards and specifications specified in the Development and Management of Deep Sea Water Act. |
The food additives shall comply with Food Additive Code |
4.2 Product specifications and standards
ChemLinked briefly compiles the specification and standards for Teas, Coffee, Fruit/Vegetable Beverages, Carbonated Beverages, Soy Milks, Fermented Beverages, Ginseng/Red Ginseng Beverages, and Other Beverages as below. Please note that enterprises are suggested to refer to the detailed requirements listed under Article 9 Beverages of Chapter 5 under Food Code for manufacturing.
No. | Food Type | Definition |
1 | Teas | “Teas (다류)" refer to products whose primary ingredients are plant-based ingredients, including leached tea (침출차), liquid tea (액상차), and solid tea (고형차). |
2 | Coffee | "Coffee (커피)" refers to processed coffee beans or processed coffee beans added with food or food additives. It includes roasted coffee (볶은커피) (coffee beans that have been roasted or ground), instant coffee (인스턴트커피) (soluble extract of roasted coffee which has been dried), formulated coffee (조제커피), and liquid coffee (액상커피) (a product made by mixing coffee with dairy products for drinking whose coffee solid content is 0.5% or higher). |
3 | Fruit/ Vegetable Beverages | "Fruit/vegetable beverages (과일/채소류음료) refer to beverages that are processed using fruits or vegetables as the primary ingredients and are consumed directly or diluted. This category includes concentrated fruit/vegetable juices (농축과/채즙), fruit/vegetable juices (과/채주스), and fruit/vegetable drinks (과･채음료). |
4 | Carbonated Beverages | "Carbonated beverages (탄산음료류)" refer to beverages that contain carbon dioxide gas, including carbonated soft drinks (탄산음료) and carbonated water (탄산수). |
5 | Soy Milks | "Soy Milks (두유류)" refer to products made by extracting or processing soybeans or soybean products, either alone or in combination with other food ingredients or food additives. This category includes raw soy milk (원액두유) and processed soy milk (가공두유). |
6 | Fermented Beverages | "Fermented Beverages (발효음료류)" refer to beverages that are produced by fermenting dairy products or plant-based ingredients using microorganisms such as lactic acid bacteria and yeast. However, fermented dairy products are not sorted as fermented beverages but as "dairy products”. This category includes lactic acid beverages (유산균음료), yeast beverages (효모음료), and other fermented beverages (기타발효음료) |
7 | Ginseng/Red Ginseng Beverage | “Ginseng/red ginseng beverages (인삼/홍삼음료)” refer to drinks made by combining ginseng, red ginseng, or soluble ginseng/red ginseng extracts with food or food additives. These beverages are for direct consumption. |
8 | Other Beverages | "Other beverages (기타음료)" refer to beverages that do not fall under any specific food category and are not defined by any other food type. These products are either made by adding food or food additives to drinking water, or by processing animal or plant-based ingredients into products for drinking. This category includes mixed beverage (혼합음료) and beverage base (음료베이스). |
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4.3 Label
As per the Act on Labeling and Advertising of Foods, product information should be indicated in Korean. Enterprises can put a sticker, label, or tag on imported foods.
According to the Food Labeling Standards, the product information that should be displayed on beverages includes:
a) Product name
b) Food type
c) Name (or trade name) and location of the business place
d) Expiration date
e) Net weight and calories (for leached teas, solid teas, roasted coffee, and instant coffee, the calorie content can be excluded)
f) Raw material list
g) Nutritional information (excluding leached teas, solid teas, roasted coffee, and instant coffee)
h) Container/packaging material
i) Item reporting number
j) Name and quantity of components (if applicable)
k) Storage method (if applicable)
l) Precautions
(1) Declaration of reporting for irregular or defective food
(2) Allergens (if applicable)
(3) Others (if applicable)
m) Irradiation-treated food (if applicable)
n) Genetically modified food (if applicable)
o) Other labelling information for each food type
Regardless of food categories, the label and advertisement shall not involve any information implying the food is a drug, or a non-health functional food is a health functional food. Fraudulent labelling, morally wrong labels, labels that compare the product with other company’s products, and labelling a food as a product other than food (e.g., cosmetic) are prohibited as specified in the Act on Labeling and Advertising of Foods.
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ChemLinked has helped hundreds of global food enterprises in terms of market access. Please contact us if you need assistance with health functional food import declaration, new ingredient application, foreign food facility registration, or any consultation service.
