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[Updated] Imported Foods Subject to Inspection Order in South Korea

"Inspection order" is a special supervision mechanism for imported food in South Korea. ChemLinked compiles the current status of imported food subject to inspection orders.

What is Inspection Order

As stipulated in Article 22 of Imported Food Act1, when the imported foods have been detected with hazardous substances at home and abroad or have a high non-compliance rate following the result of the import Inspections, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) can order the importer to undergo a thorough inspection* by the designated inspection agencies. Only when the inspection result is compliant can the enterprise apply for the import declaration of the foods.

*Thorough inspection:

Import inspections during custom clearance include documents inspection, on-site inspection, random sampling inspection, and thorough inspection. The thorough inspection is the strictest inspection type.

Status of Imported Foods Subject to Inspection Order

Data source from MFDS announcement (2022.9.30) , MFDS announcement (2022.10.7)MFDS announcement (2022.11.3)MFDS announcement (2022.12.5)MFDS announcement (2022.12.12)MFDS announcement (2023.2.9)MFDS announcement (2023.3.3), MFDS announcement (2023.3.14)MFDS announcement(2023.4.7) , MFDS announcement (2023.6.20)MFDS announcement (2023.6.28)MFDS announcement (2023.8.30)MFDS announcement (2023.9.20), MFDS AnnouncementMFDS Announcement,  MFDS AnnouncementMFDS Announcement (2023. 12. 11), MFDS Announcement (2024.2.20)MFDS Announcement (2024. 3.13)MFDS Announcement (2024.4.12)and MFDS Announcement (2024.6.13) (2024.6.13).

Updates:

On September 12, 2024, MFDS published an announcement to specify one new imported food subject to inspection order and modify the current items. 

The details are marked in red.

Period

Imported Foods

Exporting Country

Inspection Items

2024.03.01.

~

2025.02.28.

Natural spice (powder products)

India

Metallic foreign bodies

2023.10.22.

~

2024.10.21.

berry (blueberry, lingonberry, bilberry), and jam and processed fruit products manufactured with the above berries

Poland, France, Italy, Germany, Finland, Austria, Sweden

Radioactivity

 (Iodine, Cesium)

2013.12.24.

~

2024.12.23.

Products containing more than 50% of Noni in powder form (limited to 3 manufacturers)

Vietnam, Indonesia

Metallic foreign bodies

2019.04.23.

~

2025.04.22.

Sarcodon aspratus mushroom

Russia, Ukraine

Radioactivity

 (Iodine, Cesium)

2024.06.25

~

2025.06.24.

Basil (leaf)

Thailand

Pesticides (Dimetomorph)

2023.10.22.

~

2024.10.21.

Powder natural spice

China

Metallic foreign bodies

2024.03.31.

~

2025.03.30.

Tuna (fishery products to be eaten raw)

Japan (exporting country)

Salmonella

2023.10.22.

~

2024.10.21.

Snack foods (limited to sealed products, except for fermented products or products containing lactic acid bacteria, produced by 5 manufacturers)

India

bacteria number

2024.03.31.

~

2025.03.30.

Other Salt

Pakistan

Insoluble powder

2024.06.27.

~

2025.06.26.

Frozen confectioneries 

Thailand (2 manufacturers)

Coliform

2024.09.30.

~

2025.09.29.

Health Functional Food using Probiotics as functional ingredients (limited to 8 manufacturers)

U.S., Canada (2 manufacturers) 

Probiotics number

2023.12.24.

~

2025.12.23.

Wood ears

(Fruiting body, dried)

China

Pesticide

(Carbendazim)

2024.03.31.

~

2025.03.30.

Chilli peppers (fruits)

Vietnam

Pesticides

(Diniconazole, Tolfenpyrad, Tricyclazole, Permetrin, Dimethoate, Isoprothiolane, Metominostrobin)

2024.06.30.

~

2025.6.29.

Solid tea

China

Pesticides

(Pyridaben, Dinotefuran, 

Othophenylphenol, Prochloraz)

2024.09.27.

~

2025.09.26. 

Snack foods (limited to foods processed with oil treatement, produced by 4 manufacturers)

Indonesia (3 manufacturers)

Acid value

2023.12.22.

~

2024.12.21

Rubber product (rubber pacifier and rubber juice strainer 고무젖꼭지, 과즙망)

China, Vietnam (4 manufacturers)

Total volatility

2024.03.29.

~

2025.03.28.

Processed vegetables

China (4 manufacturers)

Coliform

2024.06.28.

~

2025.6.27.

BreadChina (7 manufacturers)Preservatives

2024.09.30.

~

2025.09.29. 

PicklesVietnam (7 manufacturers)Tar colorants


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