Food and drug safety ministry signs China food export pacts

The food and drug safety ministry said it signed three food-safety cooperation documents with China's customs authority, opening the way to simpler exporter registration and shipments of qualifying meat-containing instant noodles.

The agreements will let exporters apply for registration or changes through the ministry's integrated civil-service portal rather than individually to the Chinese government. For most food products excluding livestock products, the ministry expects processing to fall from around three months to around 10 days and annual losses from registration delays of about 370 billion won ($264 million) to decline.

China had restricted imports of South Korean instant noodles containing even trace amounts of meat ingredients over animal-disease concerns. Products using meat sourced from countries China recognizes and meeting agreed heat-treatment and hygiene requirements can now be shipped, allowing domestic noodle makers to sell products offered in Korea without separate production lines.

The documents also provide for replacing paper health certificates for seafood imports and exports with electronic certificates exchanged through government systems, with annual paper-certificate and international-postage cost savings of 3 billion won ($2.14 million) expected.

"We will continue to expand cooperation with major trading partners and strengthen the foundation for K-food exports," O Yu-kyung, head of the food and drug safety ministry, said.