The KPA claimed on May 8 that MFDS’s decision in extending the pilot program was made without prior improvements to the program.
Some of the areas which the association believes require urgent attention include sales of unlicensed products and sales of products with opened packaging - which are not permitted under the pilot program.
The association believes that it is important to address these issues first before extending the pilot program.
It has therefore urged the MFDS to suspend the pilot project immediately.
The association added that it would run a team to “thoroughly monitor” the violations.
It also said it would “make every effort to ensure” that the Health Functional Food Act amendment prohibiting individual transactions of HFF would be passed as soon as possible.
“This decision [to extend the pilot project] seriously undermines national health and the distribution order of health functional foods, and we strong urges the immediate suspension of the pilot project,” the KPA said in a statement.
The MFDS started the year-long pilot project last year, where health functional foods (HFF) such as red ginseng, probiotics, and vitamins can be sold between individuals.
There is however, a limit placed on the number and transaction amount.
The intention of the pilot program is to cut down wastage.
Prior to the pilot program, selling HFF in a personal capacity is prohibited in South Korea, unless this has been reported as a form of business activity to the authorities.
The MFDS said on May 2 that it was extending the pilot program - which ended on May 7 - until December 31 of this year.
At the same time, it has introduced some changes to the extended pilot program.
For instance, the number of transactions, which was 10 times per person and limited at 300k won (US$214), has been changed to up to 10 cumulative transactions per person.
Previously, only products with more than six months of expiry can be sold, but now, products can be sold so long as they are within the expiry date.
Under the extended program, the HFF “certification mark” or “health functional food” phrase must be clearly visible on the product packaging.
Other requirements, such as selling only unopened products, including individual packets, as well as selling room temperature products will remain.
The MFDS also said it planned to expand the number of online platforms that can facilitate sales of HFFs between individuals.
Irresponsible decision, says KPA
According to the KPA, other violations of individual HFF sales include the sale of products that require refrigeration and products with an expiry of less than six months.
The KPA said that extending the pilot program without addressing the violations was “an irresponsible” decision.
“Despite the continuous occurrence of violations of compliance requirements on second-hand transaction platforms such as Carrot Market and Beonggae Market, the decision to extend the pilot project period by relaxing the compliance requirements without any improvement or supplementary procedures was strongly criticised as an irresponsible administrative decision that ignores the health of the people,” said the KPA.
