The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), also known as the Korea Food and Drug Administration, is the primary regulatory agency for food in South Korea. It is responsible for food regulation formulation, market supervision, health functional food registration, overseas factory inspections, and other related duties. South Korea has a complex legislative system with many laws and regulations. The Food Code serves as the main reference regulation for the food industry, outlining general requirements for food, standards and specifications for various products, permissible ranges of food ingredients, and requirements for pesticide and veterinary drug residues. The requirements for food additives, processing aids, vitamins, and minerals are outlined in the "Food Additive Code". Regarding "Health Functional Foods" in South Korea, which refers to dietary supplements, relevant regulations can be found in the Health Functional Food Code and its subsidiary regulations. Additionally, overseas companies exporting food to South Korea can refer to the "Special Act on Import Food Safety Management" provisions for overseas factory registration, import declaration, and other related business requirements.
Definition & Classification of Food Products in South Korea
| Category | Food Product classification |
| General Foods | General Foods & Conventional Foods (Bread, Beverages, Meat, Liquors, Sauces, etc.) |
| Health Functional Foods (HFF) | · Health Functional Foods (with health claims): Food with functional ingredients such as Vitamin & Mineral, Probiotics, Omega3, Lutein Supplements, etc., stipulated in the Health Functional Food Code. · Individual Recognition HFF(IR-HFF): Individually recognized Health functional ingredients by MFDS (Ministry of Food and Drug Safety) approval. If you want to indicate the health functional claim or new active ingredient that does not exist in the health functional code, you must go to IR-HFF. (IR-HFF will be reviewed based on the standards and specifications, safety, clinical test & functionality assessment standards) |
Our Service
| No. | Items | Remarks |
| Korea Food Compliance Services | ||
| 1 | Formula review | We conduct qualitative and quantitative assessments of ingredients, additives, and nutritional fortifiers to determine the components' eligibility and usage levels based on Korean regulatory requirements. |
| 2 | Labeling compliance | We review the product labels based on the labelling regulations and guide clients in preparing compliant product labels to minimize the risk of non-compliance with labelling and advertising regulations. |
| Product Registration/Notification | ||
| 1 | Product filing/notificationOnline report of product import | *incl. overseas manufacturer registration |
| 2 | Inspection during customsTypes and methods of testing imported food *Average 10 Days but Livestock products will be taken for 18 Days. | Conduct an overhaul: Mandatory for the first import. 1) Over 100 kg: Recognized as an 'overhaul' performance when suitable. 2) Less than 100 kg: Not recognized as a track record, even if the test result is suitable. If it's not the first time, only document inspection is needed. (Chance to be random sample inspection by MFDS) |
| General Foods/Health Food Compliance Consulting | ||
| 1 | Regulation Monitoring Service | Food/Health Food regulation summary, effect on the industry, Interpretation for the clients, simple f/u inquiry responses |
| 2 | E-Training Service | 1) Introduction: Korea food regulation overview 2) Overview of health functional food regulation 3) Interpretation of new/revised regulations 4) Customized topics |
| 3 | Market Research | 1) Consumer Survey 2) Field Research |
| 4 | Customized Consulting Service | If clients have any regulatory inquiries or consulting needs specific to the South Korean market, we provide customized consulting services. |
| Customized Report Service | ||
| 1 | Regulatory Assessment and Guidebooks | - |
Why Choose REACH24H
A strong technical team provides professional and efficient compliance support in China, Japan, South Korea, and ASEAN countries
Multinational teams located in the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore
Firm connections with local competent authorities, industrial associations and partners
Self-developed intelligent food compliance database with expert-verified data to help you save time and reduce risk
