Food safety control in the Republic of Korea

With the increased globalization of the food trade, the work of the World Trade Organization has led to the greater recognition and use of the concept of equivalence. Use of this concept, however, requires countries to be aware of the national controls applied in other countries. This article provides an overview of the current system in use in the Republic of Korea. It outlines the administrative systems employed to maintain food safety that includes the recent establishment of the Korea Food and Drug Administration. It provides details of the legislative structure, including the Food Sanitation Act of 1986 (and its recent amendment) and related regulations. Certain nongovernmental bodies are also described. The article concludes by recognizing that modern food safety problems require concerted action, both nationally and internationally.