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Eco-friendly Products
Overview
Eco-friendly Agricultural Products
- means either not using or minimizing the use of synthetic pesticides, chemical fertilizers, antibiotics, bacteriacides and other chemical materials, and through the recycling of the byproducts of farming, animal husbandry, and forestry, the farming ecosystem and the environment is maintained and preserved when producing agricultural products(including livestock products)
Laws
- Act On The Promotion Of Environment-Friendly Agriculture And Fisheries And The Management Of And Support For Organic Foods, Etc.
- Enforcement Decree Of The Act On The Promotion Of Environment-Friendly Agriculture And Fisheries And The Management Of And Support For Organic Foods, Etc.
- Enforcement Rule Of The Act On The Promotion Of Environment-Friendly Agriculture And Fisheries And The Management Of And Support For Organic Foods, Etc.
Classification
Types of eco-friendly agricultural products
- Eco-friendly agricultural or livestock products are classified into organic agricultural products, organic livestock products, pesticide free products and antibiotic-free livestock products according to production methods and materials used.
Classification
- Agricultural and Forestry Products
- Organic Agricultural Products : Agricultural products that have been cultivated without using organosynthetic agricultural pesticides or chemical fertilizers
- Pesticide-free Agricultural Products : Agricultural products that have been cultivated without the use of organosynthetic agricultural pesticides and less than 1/3 of the recommended amount of applied fertilizer consisting of chemical fertilizer
- Livestock Products
- Organic Livestock Products : Livestock that must be fed without using antibiotics, synthetic antimicrobials, or hormones
- Antibiotic-free Livestock Products : Livestock that must be fed antibiotic-free feed without using antibiotics, synthetic antimicrobials, or hormones
Certification label
| Label | Products |
|---|---|
|
Organic agricultural and forestry products Organic livestock products Organic processed foods |
|
Pesticide-free Agricultural and Forestry products |
|
Antibiotic-free livestock products |
Organic Processed Food Certification
Purpose
- Protecting consumers by improving the reliability of organic labeling, and to encourage good-intentioned businesses to supply high quality organic food
Certification System
- Operators who would like to label or market their processed foods as ‘organic’ should be certified by certification bodies accredited by Agricultural Products Quality Management Service. Following operators are required to be certified to Korean Organic Food Act as well.
- Operators who plan to produce or manufacture organic processed foods in Korea using organic ingredients that are originated from foreign countries or within Korea.
- Operators who plan to produce organic processed foods in foreign countries using organic ingredients that are originated from foreign countries or within Korea for the purpose of marketing the products in Korea.
- Operators who plan to subdivide or repack foreign or domestic organic processed food in Korea.
- A certification body conducts on-site inspection of applied operator. If the certification body determines that the facilities and activities are in compliance with requirements of certification standards, the certification body grants certification.
- The NAQS will inspect the business which has received certification to ensure that it is strictly implementing the authentication tasks required according to the laws and will ensure that violations do not take place through subsequent inspections
Procedure
- Application for certification
- Once an operator has submitted the certification application documents, such as a copy of organic system plan, the organic handling system plan, etc. that verify the suitability of the ingredients and additives under certification standards. Certification fee determined by the certification body should then be paid.
- Review of Application
- The certification body will review the application with documents to ensure that the documents are in compliance with the legal standards. In case there are noncompliances the applicant will be notified right away and requested to make revision.
- On-site Inspection
- Once a certification body reviewed the documents, certifiers of the certification body conduct an inspection of the place of business of the applicant. There must not be a conflict of interest between the certifiers and applicant, and the inspection report will be filled out to determine if the organic handling system is compliance with the legal standards.
- Granting certification
- Once a certification body decided that the operation/facilities of the applicant has an organic handling system in place that is compliance with the law, the certification body will issue a certificate to the applicant. If it is determined unsuitable, there will be a notification of the noncompliance and once improvements have been made a second inspection will take place followed by additional inspection and other actions.
Certification Categories
Evaluation Matters
- General Requirements
- Processing Ingredients
- Processing Methods
- Pest and Pathogenic Bacterium Management
- Cleaning and Disinfectant
- Packaging
- Shipping of Ingredients and Products
- Records and Access Guarantee
Surveillance System
- The certification body conducts regular inspections of certified operators to prevent violations. Also the NAQS will conduct monitoring not only certified operators, but also operators that have not been certified.
- Regular Investigation and Extending the Period of Validity
- Certified operators must undergo an annual regular on-site inspection. The procedure for the regular inspection is the same as the certification procedure above.
- The procedure for the extension of the period of validity is the same as the certification procedure above. However, an organic processed food extension for the period of validity form of accompanying form 10 must be submitted to the certification body
- The director of the certification body will establish a regular investigation plan for the next business year before the end of the business year, and must give notice to the business 3 months prior in order for the business to apply for the regular investigation
- Disciplinary Measures
- In case it has been determined through the on-site confirmation that the business is not exercising the disciplinary actions, the director can request administrative measures by taken by the NAQS, or press criminal and civil charges
- If the business that has been notified of the disciplinary measures has any objections, the implied business can make an objection in writing to the director within 30 days of being notified
- Fines Levied by Violation : 100,000 won to 5 million won depending types and the number of violations