South Korea MAFRA Notice 2025-20 — Manufacturing Facility Approval & Production
Source: MAFRA Notification No. 2025-20, Art. 5–8. Status: in force (2025.2.7).
Animal ingredients (Art. 5)
- Animal ingredients listed in the Annex are allowed; domestic ingredients shall be used except those described in Paragraph 2 of the Annex.
- Ingredients from animals not cleared in ante-mortem inspection by the exporting country's veterinary officer (or government-authorized vet) shall not be used.
Production conditions (Art. 6)
- Pet food shall be produced in the exporting country.
- Must be handled to prevent contamination by animal-disease pathogens from raw-material stage to arrival in Korea.
- Label must show product name, manufacturing facility, and ingredient name; bulk imports may use a firmly attached sticker / label / tag.
Manufacturing facility approval (Art. 7)
- Facilities exporting to Korea must be registered with the exporting country's government as manufacturing facilities.
- They must be approved by the Korean government (veterinary quarantine authority) through on-site inspection (documentary examination allowed if requirements met).
- Regular inspections by the exporting country must show no abnormalities.
- Approval withdrawal (Art. 8.4): if a facility has no export record to Korea for three years or longer since approval or last export, the Korean government may withdraw approval (prior notice to the exporting country required).
On-site inspection & suspension (Art. 8)
- Korean veterinary officers may conduct on-site inspections and review records.
- Non-compliance → export suspension; lifted after corrective measures confirmed (on-site or other means).
- The exporting country must immediately notify the Korean government (veterinary quarantine authority) if a facility's approval is withdrawn (bankruptcy, closure, etc.).