7. Importation Requirements

Dairy Products
South Korea

This section provides information on the importation process (shipment, customs, licenses required, and test requirements).

7.1 Shipment Declaration

Category

Milk Products

Not required.

Product

Sterilized Milk (including liquid milk, low-fat milk)

Same as "Category" (Milk Products) above.

Processed Milk

Same as "Category" above.

Fermented Milk

Same as "Category" above.

Concentrated Milk

Same as "Category" above.

7.2 Customs Procedure

Category

Milk Products

The Customs Procedure for Milk Products is the same as the one outlined in Section 7.2 of the "General Foods" guidebook for South Korea.

Product

Sterilized Milk (including liquid milk, low-fat milk)

Same as "Category" (Milk Products) above.

Processed Milk

Same as "Category" above.

Fermented Milk

Same as "Category" above.

Concentrated Milk

Same as "Category" above.

7.3 Manufacturing License

Category

Milk Products

1. Process for a foreign establishment

1. Application of foreign establishments should be submitted to Korean MFDS through the exporting country (that is the Korean ambassador of the exporting country) according to attached form No. 16 under Article 12 of the Enforcement Rule of Import Food Special Management Act [1]
2. Receipt of documents
3. Review of documents or on-site inspection
4. Approval
5. Notification of registration  

2. Documents required:

1. A copy of the checklist inspected by the government of the exporting country within the past year or the results of a sanitary inspection conducted by the government of the exporting country according to its own standards.
2. License documents for the business of the overseas workplace recognized by the government of the exporting country (name, location, name of representative, workplace number (limited to cases where there is a workplace number, such as a workplace that produces and handles meat).
3. Safety Management Certification Standard (HACCP certificate).

Product

Sterilized Milk (including liquid milk, low-fat milk)

Same as "Category" (Milk Products) above.

Processed Milk

Same as "Category" above.

Fermented Milk

Same as "Category" above.

Concentrated Milk 

Same as "Category" above.

7.4 Test for Importation

Category

Milk Products

Please refer to Section 7.4 - Test for Importation - of the "General Foods" guidebook for South Korea.

Product

Sterilized Milk (including liquid milk, low-fat milk)

Same as "Category" (Milk Products) above.

Processed Milk

Same as "Category" above.

Fermented Milk

Same as "Category" above.

Concentrated Milk

Same as "Category" above.

7.5 Other Notes or Requirements for Importation

Category

Milk Products

Please refer to Section 7.5 - Other Notes or Requirements for Importation - of the "General Foods" guidebook for South Korea.

Product

Sterilized Milk (including liquid milk, low-fat milk)

Same as "Category" (Milk Products) above.

Processed Milk

Same as "Category" above.

Fermented Milk

Same as "Category" above.

Concentrated Milk

Same as "Category" above.

7.6 Overview Flowchart for Importation Process

Category

Milk Products

According to Article 12 of the Enforcement Rule of Import Food Special Management Act [1] and the guidelines for import declaration and inspection of Imported livestock [2], this is the flowchart for the importation process for milk products: 

1. Registration of foreign establishment by the Korean ambassador of the exporting country
2. Submission of Import declaration form for food or electronic declaration through UNI-PASS (https://unipass.customs.go.kr/csp/index.do)
3. Reception by local FDA
4. Approval by local FDA
5. On-site confirmation or inspection by local FDA (Sample collection for testing)
6. Sampling by local FDA
7. Test by local FDA or officially recognized Lab (excluding food inspected with document review)
8. Decision on compliance by Lab if the inspection meets the specification of a food category
9. Compliance
10. Issuance of certificate of completion of import declaration for food by local FDA
11. Customs clearance
12. Domestic distribution
    

The import declaration for livestock products is described on the homepage of MFDS https://impfood.mfds.go.kr/CFLAA01F01.

The Import declaration of livestock products can also be done using attached form No. 25 under Article 27 of the Enforcement Rule of Imported Food Special Management Act [1]. 

Judgment

1. Passed: Issuance of quarantine certificate by MFDS
2. Rejected: returned, incinerated, or buried by MFDS

Animal and plant quarantine agency shall review the sanitation documents or certificates of imported livestock products issued by exporting countries and manufacturers. Here is the website for the animal and plant quarantine agency: https://www.qia.go.kr/livestock/qua/livestock_quar_ani_import_inf.jsp.

Importation must be compliant with the standard described at https://www.qia.go.kr/livestock/qua/livestock_quar_ani_import_inf.jsp.

A certificate of completion of import declaration for livestock products shall be issued by the local FDA if food both the quarantine process of food and the quarantine process of livestock products conform with the Korean food code.

Product

Sterilized Milk (including liquid milk, low-fat milk)

Same as "Category" (Milk Products) above.

Processed Milk

Same as "Category" above.

Fermented Milk

Same as "Category" above.

Concentrated Milk

Same as "Category" above.

7.7 References

1. Enforcement rule of imported food special management act

https://www.law.go.kr/%EB%B2%95%EB%A0%B9/%EC%88%98%EC%9E%85%EC%8B%9D%ED%92%88%EC%95%88%EC%A0%84%EA%B4%80%EB%A6%AC%ED%8A%B9%EB%B3%84%EB%B2%95%EC%8B%9C%ED%96%89%EA%B7%9C%EC%B9%99

2. Guideline for import declaration and inspection on Imported livestock  

https://www.mfds.go.kr/brd/m_211/view.do?seq=14544&srchFr=&srchTo=&srchWord=&srchTp=0&itm_seq_1=0&itm_seq_2=0&multi_itm_seq=0&company_cd=&company_nm=&Data_stts_gubun=C9999&page=14