South Korea moves to widen food exports to China amid tightening regulations

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs held a briefing Thursday on non-tariff barriers to K-food exports to China, aimed at helping South Korean food companies navigate the country's updated import food regulations and expand their presence in the Chinese market.

China is South Korea's second-largest agricultural and food export market after the United States. Exports to China reached $1.59 billion last year, up 5.0 percent from the previous year. The momentum has continued this year, with cumulative exports through May totaling $656 million — a 10.1 percent increase from the same period last year — driven by strong demand for ramyun and beverages.

The ministry has been providing updates on China's import food regulations through its agricultural trade information platform KATI, and has offered consulting support through local specialist agencies when exporters encounter customs rejections.

Cases of Chinese customs rejections have been rising recently, with improper labeling and excessive food additive levels cited as common grounds. Adding to the urgency, China's revised regulations on the registration and management of overseas food manufacturers took effect June 1, and an updated pre-packaged food labeling standard is set to take effect in March next year.

About 180 food companies interested in expanding exports to China attended the briefing. Participants received an overview of the regulatory changes, along with guidance on key causes of customs rejections — including overseas manufacturer registration, labeling requirements and food additive standards — and strategies for addressing them.

The ministry also introduced a range of support programs, including a one-stop export support hub offering assistance with local import registration, food inspections, and customs and legal advice, as well as agricultural food export vouchers and localization support projects.

In addition, the ministry shared success stories of companies that had overcome non-tariff barriers, including 22 red ginseng exporters that completed registration with China's General Administration of Customs in just 10 days.

"We plan to work with related ministries to provide accurate and timely information and expand support for companies facing export difficulties," said Jeong Gyeong-seok, the ministry's director general for food industry policy. "As food regulations continue to evolve around the world — including Europe's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, Vietnam's revised food safety legislation and Indonesia's mandatory halal requirements — we will help Korean companies get ahead of local regulatory changes."