The Korea Food and Cosmetics Law Association held its inaugural general meeting and a commemorative seminar at the YulChon law firm in Parnas Tower, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on the 7th, officially launching. This is the first time an academic society specializing in research on laws and systems in the food and cosmetics sectors has been launched in Korea.

Ko Jeong-eun, head of policy research at the Korea Cosmetic Association, gives a keynote presentation at the inaugural general meeting of the Korea Food and Cosmetic Law Association on the 7th./Courtesy of Korea Food and Cosmetic Law Association

The association said that as K-food and K-beauty grow into core export industries, and as safety regulations and non-tariff barriers in each country strengthen, the need for research on related legal systems has increased. According to the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, last year's agri-food exports totaled $10.41 billion, and cosmetics exports, according to the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety, also hit a record high at $11.4 billion.

At the inaugural general meeting that day, the association adopted its articles of association, appointed executives, and approved the business plan and budget. Son Seung-woo, a standing adviser at YulChon, was appointed the first president. At the commemorative seminar, Hanbat University Professor Kim Chang-hwa presented measures to establish a food intellectual property system in the era of Foodtech, and Korea Cosmetics Association Deputy Minister Ko Jeong-eun presented tasks for protecting intellectual property rights in the K-beauty industry.

Son said, "Because food and cosmetics are closely tied to people's daily lives, we will develop the association into a platform that offers reasonable policy alternatives."

※ This article has been translated by AI. Share your feedback here.