South Korea

Agreement signed · Strong coverage · Compiled 2026-07-05

23 screening rules

Labeling: 10 rules — 10 blocking, 0 conditional, 0 advisory
Additives: 3 rules — 3 blocking, 0 conditional, 0 advisory
Contaminants & residue limits: 5 rules — 5 blocking, 0 conditional, 0 advisory
Import & registration: 5 rules — 4 blocking, 1 conditional, 0 advisory

Market profile

Main food law: Food Sanitation Act (EN)
Labeling regulation: MFDS Labeling Standards 2022-66 (EN)
Additives and residue limits: Food Additives Code 2023 (EN)
Import requirements: Special Act Imported Food Safety (EN)
National standards body: KSA (KS) — paywalled
Latest USDA FAIRS report: 2025

Certificates required

South Korea MFDS foreign food facility registration — Mandatory (Applies to: Overseas manufacturers of imported food)
Health certificate (food export, fit for human consumption) — Mandatory (Applies to: Meat, dairy, seafood and specified foods)
Veterinary health certificate (products of animal origin) — Mandatory (Applies to: Animal products)
Phytosanitary certificate (IPPC / ePhyto) — Mandatory (Applies to: Plant products)
USDA NOP organic certificate & NOP Import Certificate — Commonly requested (Applies to: Organic products under US-Korea equivalence)
Other FTA origin certificates (ASEAN Form D, RCEP, AfCFTA, China FTA Form E etc.) — Mandatory (Applies to: Goods claiming FTA preference)
HACCP certification — Commonly requested (Applies to: Manufacturers)

Import and export

Documents to import

Commercial invoice — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
Packing list — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
Bill of lading / air waybill — Issued by: Carrier — Mandatory
Certificate of origin (non-preferential; preferential FTA forms e.g. ASEAN Form D / RCEP where claimed) — Issued by: Exporting-country chamber or authority — Conditional
Import customs declaration — Issued by: Korea Customs Service — Mandatory
Foreign food facility registration — Issued by: MFDS — Mandatory
Import food report / inspection application (Korean) — Issued by: MFDS — Mandatory
Laboratory inspection (first import) — Issued by: MFDS / accredited lab — Conditional
Health / sanitary certificate — Issued by: Exporting-country authority — Conditional
Phytosanitary certificate / APQA quarantine — Issued by: Exporting NPPO / APQA — Conditional
HACCP / SSOP documentation and inspection report — Issued by: Exporting establishment / authority — Conditional
Korean label — Issued by: Importer — Mandatory
Organic certificate (NAQS) — Issued by: Accredited body — Conditional

Documents to export

Commercial invoice — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
Packing list — Issued by: Exporter — Mandatory
Bill of lading / air waybill — Issued by: Carrier — Mandatory
Export customs declaration — Issued by: Korea Customs Service — Mandatory
Certificate of origin (non-preferential and FTA forms) — Issued by: Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry / KCS — Conditional

Government fees

Document and visual/sensory inspection (Import) — 0 KRW
Random inspection (government lab) (Import) — 0 KRW
Laboratory test (accredited private lab) (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
Foreign facility registration (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority
VAT/GST on imported food (Import) — Not confirmed — check with the authority

Customs single window: UNI-PASS; impfood.mfds.go.kr

Customs duties are not included.

A fee without a confirmed amount is listed by name only.

Official sources

Food Sanitation Act (MFDS English translation) (2009) Open the source
Special Act on Imported Food Safety Control (English translation) (2018) Open the source
Labeling Standards of Foods, Etc. (MFDS Notice No. 2022-66) — English (2022) Open the source
Food Code (MFDS Notice No. 2021-54) — English (2021) Open the source
Food Additives Code (MFDS Notice No. 2023-60) — English (2023) Open the source
USDA FAIRS Country Report Annual — Korea (KS2025-0011) (2025) Open the source

Reference documents

USDA FAIRS Country Report Annual — Korea (KS2025-0011) (2025) Open the source
Food Additives Code — EN (MFDS 2023-60) (2023) Open the source
Labeling Standards of Foods (MFDS Notice 2022-66) — EN (2022) Open the source
Food Code (MFDS Notice 2021-54) — EN (2021) Open the source
Special Act on Imported Food Safety Control — EN (2018) Open the source
Food Sanitation Act — EN (MFDS) (2009) Open the source
Korean Industrial Standards (KS series)

Guidance compiled from published sources — not legal clearance. Confirm the requirements with the destination regulator or a licensed advisor before shipping.

Screening guidance based on published standards — not legal clearance. Requirements marked "needs verification" are directional hints; confirm with the destination regulator or a licensed advisor before shipping.