South Korea Launches Imported Food Inquiry Notification Talk for Real-Time Updates on Imported Food-Related Inquiries

On January 20, 2024, South Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) announced the launch of the Imported Food Inquiry Notification Talk service. This new service provides real-time updates on the processing status of 65 types of imported food-related inquiries, including import declarations, registrations of overseas manufacturing facilities, applications for designating overseas food hygiene evaluation agencies, etc. Key benefits of this service are as follows:

Expanded Information Details

Previously, updates were limited to brief text messages of around 40 Korean characters, which provided minimal information on the processing status. The new service overcomes this limitation by offering detailed, step-by-step updates through a private mobile messaging service (KakaoTalk), with each message containing up to 1,000 characters that cover each stage from submission to final outcomes.

Automatic Reception

Users of KakaoTalk will now automatically receive updates through the Notification Talk feature, without the need for additional registration. For users who do not use this service, updates will continue to be delivered via short text messages.

Access to Inquiry History and Additional Resources

The chatroom allows users to view their previous inquiry history. Moreover, links to the Imported Food Information Maru (imported food information center) and the AI-powered Imported Food FAQ Chatbot provide users with easy access to import declaration guides, various information on imported food, frequently asked questions (FAQs), and more.

According to the MFDS, the service significantly reduces government costs for message delivery while enhancing transparency and convenience for users. The MFDS aims to further leverage digital technology to enhance information accessibility and improve the efficiency of imported food administration processes.

Imported Food Inquiry Notification Talk