Korea and China will switch the seafood import-export certificates that had been prepared on paper to electronic certificates. Observers say not only will import-export customs clearance speed up, but exporters will also no longer need to go through procedures such as issuing paper certificates and sending them by international mail, cutting annual export ancillary expense by 3 billion won.
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries said on the 20th in Dalian, China, that it signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation on electronic certificates for Korea-China seafood with the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety and the General Administration of Customs of China.
Under the memorandum of understanding, the two countries will cooperate on ▲ issuance and exchange of electronic certificates for seafood ▲ strengthening system interoperability and promoting pilot projects ▲ facilitating technical exchanges related to electronic certificates ▲ expanding the list of eligible items.
Until now, when importing or exporting seafood, the inspection and quarantine certificate issued by the exporting country's government had to be submitted to the importing country by international mail. Going forward, once the electronic certificate system is established, certificate information will be directly exchange as data through the two governments' systems.
An official at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) said, "Once electronic certificates are introduced, they will block the possibility of forging or altering paper certificates, and the time required for issuing, sending, and verifying certificates will be reduced, making customs clearance even faster," adding, "With paper certificate issuance and international mailing no longer necessary, the expense burden on importers and exporters is also expected to decrease significantly."
Going forward, the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF) will revise related regulations for issuing electronic certificates and will consult with the Ministery of Food and Drug Safety and the General Administration of Customs of China on concrete implementation plans, including system linkage methods, information security standards, and the pilot project schedule.
Choi Hyun-ho, director general for fisheries policy at the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries (MOF), said, "Once electronic certificates are fully introduced, they will also help strengthen the export competitiveness of our corporations."