Many products from Korea-based food companies, including CJ CheilJedang and Sajo Daerim, were found on the list of foods barred from entry in March released by China's General Administration of Customs. China is revising its rules on registration management for overseas manufacturers of imported foods and is also pursuing Korea-China cooperation on food safety. Industry watchers say that complying with local rules on registration and customs clearance will become increasingly important in the export process for K-food.
According to the "Food information not permitted to enter in March 2026" released last month by China's General Administration of Customs on the 25th, 7,200 kg of seasoning products (鲜味调味膏) produced at CJ CheilJedang's Busan plant were classified as not permitted for entry. The product's country of origin is Korea, and the manufacturer is listed as "CJ Cheiljedang Corp. Busan Plant." The reason for denial was an issue with registration of the overseas food manufacturer.
A CJ CheilJedang official said, "The product in question is the beef Dashida product, and there was a difference of opinion within Chinese customs over the item classification criteria," adding, "At the time, Haidian Customs told us to register it as other foods, but Haizhouyang Customs, which handles imports, told us to register it as other seasonings, which led to the issue." The official added, "We subsequently changed and registered the item classification in line with Chinese customs guidance, and exports are now proceeding normally."
China's General Administration of Customs oversees the country's tariff, customs clearance, and quarantine operations. It also handles inspections and customs clearance for imported foods. The "information on foods not permitted to enter" announced by the agency is a monthly list of foods denied entry, which includes products that fail to meet national standards or related laws. Products on the list are returned or disposed of in accordance with the law. However, being listed as not permitted to enter does not mean a complete halt of the corporation's exports to China. Restrictions apply to individual shipments, and exports can resume after corrective procedures.
The latest list also included products from other Korea-based food companies besides CJ CheilJedang. Unlike CJ CheilJedang, their reasons for denial were noncompliance with food additive standards. Sajo Daerim, a comprehensive food company, saw its spicy fish cake skewers (105 kg) denied for failing standards on glycine, vitamin B1, and sulfates. Ensel, a fusion frozen rice cake brand, had its cheese-flavored and sweet potato–flavored rice snacks (6,600 kg and 240 kg, respectively) denied for noncompliance with sorbitol (sweetener and humectant) standards, while Seongshin B&F's cream-flavored bungeoppang (96 kg) was denied for noncompliance with calcium stearoyl lactylate and gardenia yellow standards.
Dongbang Food Master's compound seasoning (20 kg) was also restricted for failing thiamine lauryl sulfate standards. In addition, Pirus's plant solid beverage (48 kg) and COSMAX Bio's sugar-free red ginseng jelly (1 kg) were included on the list for label noncompliance.
China is one of the key markets for K-food. According to the Korea Agro-Fisheries & Food Trade Corporation (aT), exports of Korean agricultural and food products to China last year rose 5.1% from a year earlier to $1.58 billion (about 2.3805 trillion won).
Against this backdrop, China recently revised its rules on registration management for overseas manufacturers of imported foods. It strengthened source control by refining procedures for registration, renewal, and supervision. The revised rules are set to take effect on June 1.
Industry observers believe the ability to meet local rules—such as manufacturer registration, customs clearance documents, and evidence management—will grow in importance. A food industry official said, "China has always been a market that closely scrutinizes imported food registrations and customs procedures," adding, "As K-food exports expand, the importance of capabilities not only in taste and product competitiveness but also in registration, certification, and customs clearance is growing."
Kim Tae-hwang, a professor in the Department of International Trade at Myongji University, said, "China is a market where hygiene and quarantine procedures in the food sector could be used as a non-tariff barrier," adding, "The larger the share of K-food exports in a market, the greater the importance of registration, documentation, and customs clearance systems and management."
Meanwhile, the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety and China's General Administration of Customs signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on "food safety cooperation" early this year and agreed to push for simplifying the China export registration procedures for domestic food companies. The process will shift from individual applications to batch requests by the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety. The registration period is expected to be shortened from the current two to three months to about 10 to 14 days.
Lee Eun-hee, a professor in the Department of Consumer Science at Inha University, said, "Even if the registration procedures for food companies exporting to China are streamlined, follow-up government support and corporate training must go hand in hand to ensure it takes effect on the ground," adding, "A response system that jointly manages local rules and risks is also necessary."