Key Documentation

There are three main documents required when importing products in to South Korea. These documents are relatively simple to create and will be submitted on the supplier’s behalf to the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for approval. Here’s a quick overview of the types of documents that may be required in order to import your beverage into the Land of the Morning Calm. In order to import foreign beverages into South Korea, importers like us are legally obliged to submit, among other things, three separate, signed and dated documents for each product to the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. This helps to ensure that consumers are kept safe, regulations are followed and products can be tracked and traced from source to shelf. In short, these three documents cover three main areas;

  1. Production Process Flow 
  2. Ingredients List 
  3. Bottling & Origin Declaration

These documents will then be passed to our customs brokering partners who will ensure that they are checked according to the rules and regulations laid out by the Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety.

Firstly, it is important to note that size really does matter when importing into South Korea. Although there are no restrictions on the size of the bottled beverage, it is imperative that a set of the above mentioned documents are submitted per product size as well as per product line (product type), too. This is irrespective of whether or not the liquid in the containers are the same or not. This can be time consuming, but it ensures that every product, regardless of size, can be accounted for.

Document 1: Production Process Flow

This document is fairly straight forward and, as mentioned before, can be made directly by the producer, bottler or brand owner. Overall, the general requirements for this document are as follows; 

  • Must be signed by a person in charge of the process or with authority in the company. Must contain the company address, logo and date. 
  • Must contain an overview of the whole manufacturing process in visual format (flowchart) only. Written explanations will not be accepted. 
  • Must contain the product size (E.g. 700ml).
  • Must contain the product’s commercial name.
  • Must contain the product ABV (%) (if applicable). 
  • Must be provided separately per product line and per product size. Regardless of whether or not the same liquid is contained inside of each package or bottle sizing. 

There is no set format to the above document, as it can be made directly by the manufacturer or producer (as long as it is in a flow chart format and contains the above information)

Document 2: Ingredients List

This document is used to provide an overview of the beverage and its final ingredients. Again, this document can be made directly by the supplier, bottler or brand owner. In essence this is a list of the product’s final ingredients (detailed in percentages totalling 100%) and an in-depth detailing of the beverage itself. Flavourings, colourings or extracts used in the production of the beverage must be stated as either “Natural” or “Artificial” (E.g. Vanilla Flavouring (Natural)), and in the case of distilled beverages it must also be clearly stated when these flavourings, colourings or extracts are added during the production process (i.e. before or after distillation).

Moreover, dairy-based ingredients must clearly be stated as such. Caffeine content should also be clearly marked and any botanicals used must include their scientific name, as well as the part of the botanical used (i.e root, stem, leaf etc.). The product’s final ingredients should be listed in percentages totalling precisely 100%. This should be a percent calculation of the final product, not a % of the mash or % of the botanicals. In most cases, to protect confidential receipt and/or production information it is acceptable to add a percentage range (i.e. 2%~3%). Again, this document is fairly straight forward and, as mentioned before, it can be made directly by the producer. But overall, the general requirements for this document are as follows; 

  • Must contain the company address, logo and date. 
  • Must contain a detailed list of ingredients that the final product contains with the percentages of said ingredients clearly stated. This must total 100%. 
  • Must contain the product size (E.g. 700ml).
  • Must contain the product’s commercial name. 
  • Must contain the product’s alcoholic content (ABV %) (if applicable). 
  • Must be provided separately per product line and per bottle size. 
  • Flavouring, colourants and extracts must be labelled clearly as ‘Artificial’ or ‘Natural’. 
  • Botanicals must have their scientific names clearly stated in brackets AND the part of the botanical used (i.e. Juniper, Juniperus Communis (Berry). 
  • Extracts must have the percentage amount of their solid state outlined clearly (i.e. Raspberry Extract (Natural) (30% Solid)). 
  • Caffeine content must be clearly stated. 
  • Dairy content must be clearly stated. Any soft drink that contains trace amounts of ethanol must clearly state the % of ethanol. 
  • Should contain a picture of the product and the product’s labelling (front and rear). As above a product image and image of any labelling should be included in this document. Although this is not mandatory, it does help the relevant parties involved in the document screening process to be better informed and reduces potential for misunderstandings and mistakes.

Document 3: Ingredients List

This document is a declaration from the producer detailing where the product is manufactured and bottled. This document must include the exact address of where the product is made and also where the product is bottled, too. It must also contain the exact bottling date as well. Please note that this is not the EUR1 form but a separate declaration of origin. We have a prepared format for this particular document which you can download below.

This is a relatively straight forward document, and as mentioned previously we have a prepared format for our suppliers to use. But overall, the general requirements for this document are as follows;

  • Must be signed by a person in charge of the process or with authority in the company.
  • Must contain the company’s administrative address.
  • Must contain the exact address of where the product is made, including the country. Please note that the bottling address on this form must match the bottling address entered on the Foreign Food Facility Registration Form exactly. Foreign Food Facility Registration should be carried out before this document is complete.
  • Must contain the shelf life or BBE date in Month/Year format (if applicable).
    Must contain the exact address of where the product is bottled, including the country.
  • Must contain general product details (i.e. size, packaging, commercial name etc.)
  • Must be provided separately per product line and product size.
  • Must contain the exact date of bottling in Day/Month/Year format.
  • Must contain information on the seal type used (i.e. pilfer proof cap finish).
  • Must contain information on the material(s) used to create the seal, too. (i.e. aluminium).

As above a product image and image of any labelling should be included in this document. Although this is not mandatory, it does help the relevant parties involved in the document screening process to be better informed and reduces potential for misunderstandings and mistakes.

Additional Notes: RTDs

Any alcohol-based Ready to Drink (RTD) beverages and/ or alcohol-based liqueurs must clearly have their Alcohol by Volume (ABV) content stated in percentages. Moreover, if alcohol is added separately to a beverage as part of the production process (i.e. pre-mixed Irish Coffee, Alcopops etc.) the alcohol added during the production process must also have its ABV% clearly marked and a separate production process flow must also be submitted for the alcohol added during the production process. For example; in many pre-made Irish Coffee brands, whiskey is added during the production process. The ABV% of the whiskey used in the product would need to be clearly stated, as well as the ABV% of the final product, too. Moreover, a separate production process flow for the whiskey (added to the pre-made Irish Coffee) would also need to be submitted. This is also applicable for any canned or bottled pre-mixed cocktails that have an alcohol-base (gin, vodka etc.).

Additional Notes: Botanicals

Botanicals must have their scientific name placed in brackets next to them. Botanicals must also clearly state what part of the plant is being used as an ingredient. For example; ‘Cassia’, an ingredient in some distilled beverages would have to be stated as “Cassia Bark (Cinnamomum Cassia)”. Moreover, all flavourings must be labelled as “artificial” or “natural”, for example; “Caramel Flavouring (Natural)”. Lastly, all extracts must also include their solid state (before dilution into the beverage) in a percentage format, for example; “Raspberry Extract (Natural) (32% Solid)”

Additional Notes: Bottling Seals & Finishes

How the bottle is sealed also needs to be stated. Whether it’s a cork, a screw cap or a pilfer proof cap finish; the type of seal and the material it is made from need to be stated clearly on the Bottling & Origin Declaration form.