Korea, China Simplify Food Export Procedures; Industry Sees ₩370 Billion Annual Gain
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
The Korea Food Industry Association welcomed a new Korea–China food safety cooperation MOU that streamlines Chinese export procedures for Korean food companies. Instead of individual company registrations, the government can now file unified registrations with Chinese authorities, cutting administrative processing time from about three months to roughly 10 days. The agreement includes information exchange on food-safety laws, notification of import nonconformities, local inspection cooperation, and joint registration of exporters. Reduced documentary and customs risks should lower the chance of additional requests or rejections at Chinese customs, improving market access especially for small and mid-sized firms. A related MOU expands eligible export items by allowing all wild-caught seafood (chilled/frozen) instead of the previous 206-item limit. The association plans an explanatory session with the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety next month to guide members on the new procedures. The group called the MOU a major turning point to bolster trust in K-food safety and strengthen export stability and competitiveness.
