The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (hereinafter referred to as the MFDS) announced on the 1st that it will implement two regulatory improvement tasks in the imported food sector, including allowing the sale of imported raw materials for food manufacturing to other manufacturers starting from the 15th.
This measure is part of the "Food and Drug Regulation Innovation 3.0 Initiative" and was designed to ensure a stable supply of food raw materials to the industry and alleviate the economic burden on businesses. Prior to the amendment of the enforcement regulations for the Special Act on Imported Food Safety Management, the relevant agenda was reviewed and approved by the proactive administrative committee on the 29th of last month, indicating that it will be applied preemptively.
According to the review results, if serious difficulties arise in securing the necessary materials for food manufacturing, the requirements for changing the use of imported raw materials will be expanded to allow the purchase and use of materials from other manufacturers. Until now, raw materials for food manufacturing could only be sold to other manufacturing businesses with the MFDS's approval for changing use in limited cases, such as the closure or bankruptcy of the importer.
However, as international circumstances, such as wars, have rapidly changed, stable supply of raw materials has become challenging, occasionally disrupting product production. To address these difficulties in the food industry, the MFDS has decided to expand the approval requirements for changing the use of imported raw materials for food manufacturing to include cases where it is difficult for manufacturers to secure materials due to war, infectious diseases, or natural disasters. This aims to facilitate smooth food production even during unstable periods of raw material supply.
In addition, when the address of a business location changes due to administrative district restructuring, which is beyond the responsibility of the business operator, the fee for changing business registration (26,500 won) will be waived to alleviate the economic burden on business operators. An MFDS official noted, "We expect this system improvement will contribute to revitalizing the food industry in our country," adding, "We plan to continue implementing reasonable food safety management policies for imported foods that alleviate the challenges in the industrial field while prioritizing public safety."