Recently, proposed partial amendments to the Food Sanitation Act and the Health Functional Foods Act related to Genetically Modified Organism (“GMO”) labeling, including the “GMO Full Labeling System,” were submitted to the National Assembly to strengthen the current GMO labeling framework. The key details are as follows:
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Gradual Implementation of GMO Full Labeling System (Proposed by National Assembly Member In-Soon Nam): Regardless of whether there is any residue in genetically modified DNA or protein, all primary processed foods identified by the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, such as soy sauce, starch sugar, soybean oil, starch, and sugar will be required to carry the GMO labeling on all such food products using GMOs as raw ingredients, and this requirement will be expanded to include secondary and tertiary processed foods.
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Relaxation of Unintentional Mixtures for Non-GMO Labeling (Proposed by National Assembly Members Joon-Byung Yoon and Mi-Ae Lim, Members of Agriculture, Food, Rural Affairs, Ocean and Fisheries Committee): Non-GMO labeling will be permitted if unintentional GMO mixtures constitute no more than 0.9% of all raw ingredients used.
At this time, it is difficult to predict whether GMO-related amendments will be approved by the National Assembly and be enacted.
