US-Korea Understanding on Agricultural Biotechnology (2007)

Understanding on Agricultural Biotechnology

During the technical meetings held in March 2007 between the Government of the Republic of Korea (Korea) and the Government of the United States of America (United States), Agricultural Biotechnology issues were discussed. As a result of these technical meetings, Korea and the United States confirm the following understanding.

The United States requested clarification on the Korean laws, regulations and policies regarding the importation of living modified organisms (LMOs) and their products. Korea confirmed that:

1. Korea bases its environmental safety assessments for imports for food, feed, and processing on risk criteria relative and appropriate to the intended use of the imported product.

2. Korea ensures that its regulatory review process, when applicable to multiple trait crops produced by traditional cross-breeding of two or more individually approved crops, shall be based on risk assessments of the previously authorized traits. To this end, Korea agrees that multiple trait crops containing previously authorized traits shall not be subject to additional risk assessments unless there is reason to believe multiple trait products introduce additional scientific risks of concern to human, animal or plant life or health.

3. Korea ensures that its labeling requirements for LMOs and their products will be transparent and predictable.

Korea and the United States agree to utilize bilateral communication channels to address issues that are expected to disrupt trade.

Korea and the United States agree not to unnecessarily impede trade between the two countries of products covered by this Understanding. To this end, at such time when Korea accedes to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety (CPB), it will implement the Protocol between Korea and the United States in this manner.

The United States will provide information to Korea on changes to its regulations for agricultural biotechnology.

source : Korean Advanced Farmers Federation

Printed from: https://www.bilaterals.org/./?us-korea-understanding-on