Food and drug safety ministry pushes for meat ramen exports to China

The food and drug safety ministry said Monday it will work closely with local manufacturers to enable the first export of meat-containing ramen to China before the end of the year.

Officials held a meeting with major food companies in Seoul on Sept. 21 to share details on recent cooperation achievements with Beijing aimed at resolving non-tariff barriers. The gathering followed three agreements signed in August with China's General Administration of Customs regarding production facility registration, sanitary requirements for meat-based noodles, and electronic certification for seafood.

Under the new hygiene standards, products meeting specific criteria can now be exported to China, alleviating regulatory and customs burdens. The ministry plans to finalize related procedures quickly to ensure initial shipments occur within the current calendar year.

Discussions also covered the implementation of electronic certification for seafood trade, alongside reviews of recent safety data on imported ingredients.

Oh Yu-kyung, head of the ministry, stated that the agency would expand export pathways for Korean food while managing imported products more thoroughly. "Based on food safety regulatory cooperation, we will actively resolve non-tariff barriers and protect the safety of the people's food without gaps," Oh said.