The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety said on the 8th that it will establish the Global Cosmetic Regulatory Authorities Summit (GCORAS), the world's first cooperation platform for heads of cosmetic regulatory authorities, and hold a meeting at The Plaza Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul.
Starting with the first session on the afternoon of the 7th and running through the 9th, the meeting will discuss safety management and responses to digital distribution, and the future direction of regulation. Fifteen institutions from 12 countries in Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Latin America, including Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Brazil and Mexico, will attend.
Prime Minister Han Seong-sook said in a video congratulatory message that "we will globalize standards for cosmetic approvals and licenses so that exports are not blocked by regulations, and provide systematic support so that more corporations can grow into global brands."
Oh Yu-Kyoung, head of the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety, said, "K-beauty has grown into a core industry," and added, "The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety will communicate closely with the field so K-beauty can continue to blossom in the global market for a long time."
An official at the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety said, "Major countries are strengthening regulations by introducing cosmetic safety assessment systems, mandating good manufacturing practice (GMP), and expanding halal certification, thereby raising technical barriers," and noted that Korea will lead international regulatory cooperation in the cosmetics sector.
Meanwhile, the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety will hold a seminar of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea on the same day to discuss cosmetic technology trends and ways to strengthen global competitiveness. The Ministery of Food and Drug Safety also held a Cosmetics Day commemorative ceremony the previous day (the 7th) under the theme "Confident K-beauty, coming into full bloom." Cosmetics Day was designated as a legal anniversary last year, and this year the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety established a new government commendation and presented orders and medals of merit to contributors to cosmetic safety and industry development.
The Order of Industrial Service Merit, Dongtap class, was awarded to Kang Nae-gyu, executive director at LG Household & Health Care. The Industrial Service Medal was awarded to CEO Heo Min-ho of COSMAX BTI and Vice President Yeon Jae-ho of the Korea Cosmetic Association, respectively.