South Korea, China Sign Food Safety Cooperation Agreement, Opening Export Route for Meat-Containing Ramen and Streamlining Registration

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety on the 20th signed three food safety cooperation documents with China’s General Administration of Customs on the occasion of the “2026 APEC Customs-Business Dialogue” held in Dalian, China. The agreement follows the memorandum of understanding signed at the South Korea-China summit on Jan. 5. Its key provisions are simplifying registration for export manufacturers, allowing the export to China of ramen containing meat ingredients, and introducing electronic sanitary certificates for seafood.

The Korean ramen industry will be the direct beneficiary of the cooperation. China has effectively imposed a blanket ban on imports of Korean ramen containing even trace amounts of meat ingredients, citing the need to prevent the introduction of livestock diseases such as African swine fever (ASF) and avian influenza (AI). As a result, Korean ramen companies have had to produce so-called “meat-free ramen” on separate production lines for export to China, removing meat ingredients and recreating the flavor with food additives.

Under the agreement, ramen containing meat ingredients can be exported to China if it uses meat from animals originating in countries recognized by China and meets agreed-upon hygiene requirements, including heat-treatment standards. This means companies can produce and immediately export the same products on the same lines as those sold domestically. The industry expects the change to eliminate the cost burden of operating separate production lines and improve production efficiency.

■ Ramen exports to China have already emerged as the largest market

The agreement is drawing particular attention because China is by far the No. 1 export market for Korean ramen. In 2025, South Korea’s ramen exports reached a record $1.52 billion (approximately 2 trillion won), while exports to China surged 47.9% from the previous year to $385 million, accounting for 25.3% of total exports. In a market already showing explosive growth, Korean companies will now also have cost competitiveness and product authenticity.

As more Chinese consumers become familiar with Korean ramen such as Buldak Bokkeum Myun and Shin Ramyun through Korean Wave content, including Netflix productions and K-pop, they will now be able to purchase locally products with the same ingredients as those actually consumed by Koreans. The change is also positive for the authenticity of K-food brands.

■ Export registration reduced from 3 months to 10 days, with small and midsize companies likely to benefit

Simplifying the registration process for export manufacturers is also expected to have a substantial practical impact. Previously, companies seeking to export to China had to apply individually and directly to China’s General Administration of Customs, and registration took approximately 3 months even for general food products other than livestock products. Going forward, companies that apply through the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety’s integrated civil petition portal will have their applications processed within approximately 10 days after the ministry’s review and approval, with China recognizing the results.

The change is expected to reduce annual losses of approximately 370 billion won caused by delays in the process. An official from the Korea Food Industry Association said, “Complex registration procedures and the issuance of certificates have been a significant burden in terms of time and cost,” adding, “It will provide practical help, particularly to small and midsize food companies seeking to enter the Chinese market more easily and quickly.”

Sanitary certificates for seafood will shift from paper documents to electronic certificates (E-certificates) through an intergovernmental system connection. Digital certification will prevent forgery and alteration and speed customs clearance, while eliminating the costs of issuing paper documents and sending them by international mail. Annual savings of approximately 3 billion won are also expected.

■ Industry watches for potential expansion of eligible products

The industry is already looking toward the next step. If allowing exports of ramen containing meat ingredients establishes a precedent, the scope of permitted exports could eventually expand to a range of processed meat products, including sauces, ready-to-eat foods and retort soup dishes (HMR). Some in the food industry are already calling for expansion to meat-containing sauces and ready-to-eat foods.

Ryu Chao, a researcher at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences in China, said, “Improved South Korea-China economic and trade relations provide a stable and positive environment for Korean consumer goods to enter China’s vast market.” The industry broadly believes that if cost savings secured through exports to China lead to increased investment in R&D and marketing targeting North American and European markets, growth in the global K-ramen market could accelerate further.

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety plans to brief the industry on details of the agreement through meetings with food industry representatives and other channels.