4. Labeling Requirements

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4. Labeling Requirements

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Beers, RTDs, Whisky
South Korea

This section provides information on labeling requirements and the label approval process.

4.1 Mandatory Labeling Parameters

General Food

There are several legislations that mandate specific labeling requirements for food, these include:

Food Labeling and Advertisement Act [1]
Food Labeling and Advertisement Act Enforcement Decree [2]
Food Labeling and Advertisement Act Enforcement Rule [3]
Standards for the Labeling of Foods, etc. [4]

For ease of understanding, these requirements are summarized in the table below:

No.	Labeling List	Details	Display Location
1	Product name [1]	Refers to the unique name that represents each individual product. [4]	PDP*
2	Food type [2]	As required [4]. For products in the scope, see Section 4.4 below.	IDP**
3	Net content (Capacity) [1]		PDP
4	Calories (kilocalories) corresponding to net weight of the product (if applicable) [1]		PDP
5	Name and address of the business [1]		IDP
6	Ingredient list [1]	Quantity used in descending order	IDP
7	Name and Quantity of Ingredient [2]	Required if applicable	IDP
8	Warning statements	The list depends on the type of food and ingredients used in the product.	IDP
	Allergen List [3]	“Contains XXX”. If applicable. Close to ingredient list. Different background color. [3] Allergens are egg, milk, buckwheat, peanut, soy, wheat, mackerel, crab, shrimp, pork, peach, tomato, sulphites (only applicable if the final product contains 10 milligrams or more of sulphur dioxide per kilogram after addition), walnuts, chicken, beef, squid, shellfish (including oysters, abalone, and mussels) and pine nut.	IDP
	Cross-contamination allergen warning [3]	“This product is manufactured in the same facility as products containing XXX, which may cause allergies”, “May contain XX”, or “Possible XXX contamination”. If applicable.	IDP
	Contains sweetener aspartame [3]	“Contains phenylalanine.”	IDP
	Contains sugar alcohols as main ingredient [3]	“Excessive consumption may cause diarrhea.”	IDP
	Reporting contact number [3]	“Report any unacceptable or defective food to 1399”	IDP
	Nitrogen or other gases used to enhance preservation [3]	“XXX gas-filled”	IDP
	Packed with one-touch can [3]	“Be careful of sharp edges when opening, storing, and disposing of the can.”	IDP
10	Manufacturing date, use-by date, or best-before date [1]	The requirement depends on product types.	IDP
11	Material of container/packaging [2]	Containers or packaging made of synthetic resin or rubber must indicate the packaging material.	NS***
12	Irradiation treatment indication [2]	If applicable	NS
13	Genetically Modified Foods [4]	If applicable	NS
14	Storage or handling instructions [2]	If applicable	NS
15	Products produced through an OEM arrangement [4]	"Country of Origin: XXX (OEM product)", "XXX Origin (OEM product)", "Country of Origin: XXX (OEM)", or "XXX Origin (OEM)" Font size 14 points or larger [4]	PDP
16	Item report number [2]	Not applicable to imported foods	IDP

*The "Primary Display Panel" (PDP) refers to the side of the container or packaging where the brand, logo, etc., are printed. It is typically shown to consumers when purchasing food or food additives. [4]

**The "Information Display Panel" (IDP) refers to the side of the container or packaging where various labeling items are grouped together for easy recognition by consumers. [4]

***NS = Not specified.

In addition to the above, the following requirements should also be followed:

Labels must be applied using non-erasable ink, engraving, or branding (heat stamping) [3].
The font size must be at least 10 points unless specified differently above [3]. If the information display panel area (excluding the minimum margin equivalent to the primary display panel) is insufficient to display the information in a font size of 10 points or larger, this requirement is exempted. In this case, the information display panel must only show the items specified in the Food Labeling Standard (such as cooking/use instructions, consumption methods, usage, cautionary statements, barcodes, and other legally required information) [4].
The text must be displayed on the information display panel with a character proportion (aspect ratio) of at least 90% and letter spacing (tracking) of at least -5%. If the area of the information display panel is less than 100 square centimeters, the character proportion can be at least 50% and letter spacing at least -5% [3].
Labels must be designed to ensure readability by preventing character overlap and avoiding obstruction of text by designs or images [3].
The information display panel must show the required information separated into tables or paragraphs. If the area of the information display panel is less than 100 cm², tables or paragraphs may be omitted [4].
For visually impaired consumers, braille, barcodes, or codes for braille/audio conversion should be added to easily accessible areas to indicate product names, expiration dates, and other information. Stickers can be used for this purpose.

In addition to the above, the following labeling is required for the packaging materials used:

Resource circulation deposit refund and reuse labeling [9]
Separation and disposal labeling [9]
Packaging material and structure grade labeling [9]

Other labeling requirements are as follows:

Consumer Complaint or Damage Resolution Information Labeling [8]
Country of Origin of imported processed food – minimum 10 pts and bold [7]

Nutrition information labeling is required for specific foods [4].

Note: The South Korean Prime Minister's Office announced on December 30, 2024, the partial amendment of the "Regulations on Labeling and Advertising of Foods, etc." with various effective date starting in 2026 or 2028, available in the revised version [1]. Among the labeling updates, it includes new warning "High Caffeine Content", and requirement for labeling sugar alcohols (e.g., xylitol, erythritol) if they constitute more than 10% of the product by weight, including a warning about potential laxative effects if consumed in large quantities.

Category

Alcoholic drinks

“Alcoholic drinks” should comply with “General Food” requirements above. Additionally, below are the specific labeling requirements for alcoholic drinks:

No.	Labeling List	Details	Display Location
17	Alcohol content [4]	%	IDP

Importantly, nutrition information is not mandatory for alcoholic drinks unless voluntary nutritional claims are made (see Section 5.2 of this guidebook for further details) [4].

Product

1) Beer

Same as "Category" (alcoholic beverages) above. Additionally, the following applies:

Labeling List

Details

Best-before date or Use-by date for beer [4]

No need to include the manufacturing date.

Beer type [4] - optional

Pale beer

Dark beer

Draft

Light (less than 30kcal/100mL)

2) Ready-to-drink beverages (mainly Chuhai)

“Ready-to-drink beverages” should comply with the "Category" of alcoholic drinks above. Additionally, the following applies:

Labeling List	Details
Manufacture date [4]	Only the manufacture date is required.

3) Whisky

“Whisky” should comply with the "Category" of alcoholic drinks above. Additionally, the following applies:

Labeling List	Details
Manufacture date [4]	Only the manufacture date is required.
If a base liquor is used, specify the proportion of base liquor used.
Compound raw ingredients may be referred to as alcohol.	Ingredients used after distillation (except water) must be labeled.

4.2 Languages

General Food

Information should primarily be displayed in Korean, but Chinese characters or foreign languages may also be used. The font size of Chinese characters or foreign languages must be the same as or smaller than the Korean text (Annex 3 of [3]).

However, the following exceptions apply (Annex 3 of [3]):

Cases where Chinese characters or foreign languages can be displayed larger than Korean:
1. Imported foods except products imported under an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) arrangement.
2. For registered trademarks and product names of alcoholic beverages under the Trademark Act.

Category

Alcoholic drinks

There are no language requirements specific to “Alcoholic drinks”. It should comply with “General Food” above.

1) Beer

Same as "Category" (alcoholic drinks) above.

2) Ready-to-drink beverages (mainly Chuhai)

Same as "Category" (alcoholic drinks) above.

3) Whisky

Same as "Category" (alcoholic drinks) above.

4.3 Mandatory Information on Stickers

General Food

The labeling must use non-erasable ink, engraving, or branding, as mentioned above. However, in the following cases, stickers may be used provided they are firmly attached and do not come off [4]:

If the material or shape of the container/packaging makes it impossible to label with ink, engraving, or branding.
For canned or bottled products.
When changing the business name (or trade name) and address due to a change in the permit (registration or notification) holder.
For minor labeling changes that do not affect food safety, approved by the local permit (registration or notification) authority.

For imported foods, there are two separate requirements as outlined below [4]:

Foods distributed in the exporting country must have labeling as per the exporting country's standards. Korean stickers, labels, or tags can be used, provided they are securely attached and do not obscure the original product name, date marking (e.g. expiration date), or other major labeling information on the container/packaging.
Foods imported in containers/packaging labeled in Korean must use ink, engraving, or branding for labeling. Hence, using an additional sticker is not permitted except for the cases provided above.
A Korean sticker can label the country of origin and manufacturer in the language of the exporting country.

Category

Alcoholic drinks

There are no requirements specific to the category of “Alcoholic drinks”. It should comply with “General Food” above.

Product

1) Beer

Same as "Category" (alcoholic drinks) above.

2) Ready-to-drink beverages (mainly Chuhai)

Same as "Category" (alcoholic drinks) above.

3) Whisky

Same as "Category" (alcoholic drinks) above.

4.4 Product Legal Name

Product legal name is referred to as product type. These are prescribed in the Food Labeling Standard [4].

Product

1) Beer

Beer (맥주)

2) Ready-to-drink beverages (mainly Chuhai)

Other Alcoholic Beverage (기타음료)

3) Whisky

Whisky (위스키)

4.5 Product-specific Labeling Statements

Category

Alcoholic drinks

Youth Protection Warning statement – “No sale to youth under 19” or “No sale to persons under 19” (Annex 9 of [6])
Warning Statement for Excessive Drinking - Select one of the following [11]:
1. Alcohol is a carcinogen; excessive drinking can cause liver cancer, stomach cancer, etc. Drinking during pregnancy increases the risk of birth defects.
2. Excessive drinking can cause cancer. Underage drinking hinders growth and brain development, and drinking during pregnancy increases the risk of fetal deformities or miscarriages.
3. Excessive drinking can cause stroke, memory impairment, or dementia. Drinking during pregnancy increases the risk of birth defects.

Product

1) Beer

Same as "Category" (alcoholic drinks) above. Additionally, the following applies:

a. Classification Label for Alcohol Usage – “For Home Use”, “For Entertainment and Restaurant Use”, or “For Tax-exempt Use” as appropriate. However, alcoholic beverages that use metal containers (cans or kegs) according to the "Standards and Specifications for Utensils, Containers, and Packages" notice by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety or those that use containers of 100ml or less may only indicate "Tax-Free Use" omitting the "Household Use" label. [10]

2) Ready-to-drink beverages (mainly Chuhai)

There is no product-specific labeling statement for “Ready-to-drink beverages”. It should comply with the "Category" (alcoholic drinks) above.

3) Whisky

Same as "Category" (alcoholic drinks) above. Additionally, the below applies:

Whisky requires RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags and, therefore, requires Alcohol Usage Classification labeling as per “Beer” above.

4.6 Authority Approval

General Food

Food labels are not required to be reviewed unless they fall into specified food categories. More details are provided in Section 5 of this guidebook.

Category

Alcoholic drinks

None.

Product

1) Beer

None.

2) Ready-to-drink beverages (mainly Chuhai)

None.

3) Whisky

None.