APQA has requested that importers adhere to the traceability system for imported beef and pork.
Under
effective statutes, various regulatory frameworks are established to protect
consumers’ interests and public safety. Businesses dealing with relevant goods are
required to comply with these regulations. However, in some cases, businesses
may negligently fail to follow these regulations, even when penal provisions
exist, especially if the competent government agency does not investigate violations.
When such negligence becomes widespread, and the agency deems it necessary to
strengthen the enforcement of a regulatory framework, they issue a letter urging
strict compliance. Businesses should take such letters seriously because the
agency may initiate a comprehensive investigation and impose penalties for any
violations that remain uncorrected.
On Sep.
27, 2023, the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA) issued the following
letter after noticing that many transactions involving imported beef or pork intended
food (including dressed carcasses, dressed meat, packed meat from dressed
carcasses, and other by-products as specified by the Ministry of Agriculture,
Food and Rural Affairs’ Ordinance) had not been reported through the
traceability management system, MeatWatch. This non-compliance violated Article
16 of the LIVESTOCK AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS TRACEABILITY ACT (가축 및 축산물 이력관리에 관한 법률), which
carries the potential for an administrative fine of up to 5 million won.
According to
the LIVESTOCK AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS TRACEABILITY ACT, importers or sellers of
imported food intending to import beef or pork must apply for a serial number
allocation, affix the importation and distribution identification mark bearing
the serial number to the relevant imported beef or pork, and include the serial number when filing an import
declaration as required by the SPECIAL ACT ON IMPORTED FOOD SAFETY CONTROL.
Since the import declaration certificate is a requirement checked by Customs,
importers of beef or pork typically fulfill these obligations diligently.
However, because reporting must be done after customs clearance, there can be
instances of neglect. The letter serves as an alert from APQA for such
cases of negligence.
The LIVESTOCK
AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCTS TRACEABILITY ACT is not the sole statute regulating the traceability
of imported goods. The traceability of certain imported agricultural products,
fishery products, H sections, and more is also governed by the NOTIFICATION ON
TRACEABILITY MANAGEMENT OF IMPORTED AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS, ETC. (수입농산물등 유통이력관리에 관한 고시) under
the ACT ON ORIGIN LABELING OF AGRICULTURAL AND FISHERY PRODUCTS (농수산물의 원산지 표시 등에 관한 법률), the
NOTIFICATION ON TRACEABILITY MANAGEMENT OF IMPORTED FISHERY PRODUCTS (수입수산물 유통이력 관리에 관한 고시) under
the FISHERY PRODUCTS DISTRIBUTION MANAGEMENT AND SUPPORT ACT (수산물 유통의 관리 및 지원에 관한 법률), and the
NOTIFICATION ON TRACEABILITY MANAGEMENT OF IMPORTED GOODS (수입물품 유통이력관리에 관한 고시) under
the CUSTOMS ACT (관세법),
respectively.
Importers
of goods subject to traceability management should not forget to report the
transactions settled after import through the relevant system:
·
For beef and pork: https://www.meatwatch.go.kr/cs/cpt/selectCnsmrMain.do
·
For agricultural products: https://www.naqs.go.kr/pass/frmprd/member/Login.do
·
For fishery products: https://www.nfqs.go.kr/imst/info/main
·
For H sections, steel flanges, and manhole
cover: UNIPASS (https://unipass.customs.go.kr/csp/index.do)
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