The Special Act on Safety Control of Children’s Dietary Life divides the contents of sugar, total fat, saturated fat and sodium, which are the key nutrients causing obesity in children, into three grades, and recommends that food manufactures and importers label foods as green, yellow and red based on grades (the “Traffic Light Labeling”).  The Traffic Light Labeling should be displayed on the main product label panel of children’s favorite foods so that they are easily identifiable.  

To date, as the Traffic Light Labeling remains recommended but not mandatory, it has not been widely adopted in practice.  In the face of continuing questions about its effectiveness, in place since 2012 when the regulation was introduced, an amendment has been introduced to make the Traffic Light Labeling mandatory.  Under the proposed amendment, failure to adopt the Traffic Light Labeling could lead to fines of up to KRW 3 million.  

As reference, the Traffic Light Labeling employs the following color grade standard:  

• Foods subject to labeling: confectionary (sweets, candies and ice cream), bread, chocolate, dairy products (processed products, fermented milk and ice cream), processed fish products (fish meat sausage), beverages (fruit/vegetable juice, fruit/vegetable beverages, carbonated beverages, lactobacillus beverages, and mixed beverages) 

• Color grade:  

[Korean version]