Last year, the export value of K-food and beauty products reached an all-time high as the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) plans to strengthen information provision related to exports for related corporations starting this year. The goal is to alleviate the difficulties corporations face due to lack of information and help them expand into overseas markets.
According to the government and relevant industries on the 6th, the MFDS opened the 'Global Food Safety Regulation Information System (CES Food DB)' on the 2nd, allowing domestic food export corporations to easily find information regarding food safety regulations in major export countries. The newly launched system provides information on food safety regulations not only for South Korea but also for the Philippines, Thailand, China, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, the United States, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
The items covered include ramen, seaweed, biscuits and cookies, fruit juices, coffee extracts, kimchi, dumplings, ginseng beverages, steamed or boiled rice, and gochujang. The system includes item-specific standards, specifications, labeling requirements, information on food safety regulatory agencies, a compendium of food safety laws, as well as information on customs procedures, requirements, and necessary documents.
By entering the country and item into the system, users can access regulations by country, item, and Harmonized System (HS Code). The Harmonized System is a numerical classification of trade goods created for smooth international trade and consistent application of tariff rates. It has become possible to identify necessary export documents and procedures for each customs stage, enabling effective export strategy formulation.
The MFDS noted, "By 2026, we plan to gradually expand the information provision target to 30 countries and 50 items, while continuously offering the latest information on food safety regulations." It said it would expand the target countries to include Europe, Central and South America, and the Middle East, as well as increase the range of items to include major export products such as sauces, red ginseng products, and processed grain products. Starting in June, a customized mailing service will be provided to allow export corporations to check real-time information on desired countries and items.
The MFDS will also conduct a pilot project for an artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot called 'AI Cosbot,' which customizes the provision of information on domestic and international cosmetics regulations and banned ingredients until December 31. Since 2021, the MFDS has operated a chatbot providing domestic regulatory information on cosmetics, upgrading its performance based on generative AI last year.
According to the MFDS, this year's version has addressed shortcomings from last year. The scope of information provided by AI Cosbot about cosmetics regulation has been expanded from domestic to international. It now includes countries such as China, Europe, the United States, Taiwan, India, Thailand, and Indonesia. Previously, AI Cosbot would provide answers based on the most similar response from frequently asked questions (FAQs), but this time, it offers appropriate answers based on learned regulatory information that align with the user's question content and intent. It allows for continued interaction through conversational queries.
Shin Joon-soo, head of the Bio-Pharmaceutical Bureau at the MFDS, said, "AI Cosbot can enhance its functions by learning from its regulatory information databases and user feedback, thereby improving answer accuracy. It becomes more accurate the more it is used and learned from."
Domestic corporations cite the lack of information regarding export procedures and regulations as the most challenging aspect when expanding overseas. At a meeting hosted by the MFDS last month to support the expansion of K-beauty exports, cosmetics companies requested, "It is difficult to figure out the regulations of the countries we want to export cosmetics to one by one. If the government could provide guidelines, we would be able to settle into overseas markets much faster."
According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy's '2024 Annual and December Export-Import Trends,' exports of agricultural and fishery products reached $11.7 billion, and cosmetics exports reached $10.24 billion, both setting all-time records. For the first time, both agricultural and fishery products and cosmetics have surpassed annual exports of $10 billion. However, this year, uncertainty in exports is rising due to the protectionist policies of the second Trump administration, soaring exchange rates, and rising expense for corporations procuring intermediate goods.
The MFDS stated, "We will continue to listen to the difficulties faced by export corporations and strive to strengthen global competitiveness and invigorate exports."