March 28, 2014
US grants poultry inspection equivalency to South Korea
Following determination that the country's poultry-inspection system is equivalent to its own, the USDA has added South Korea to the list of countries eligible to export poultry products to the US.
"Under this final rule, slaughtered poultry or parts or other products thereof processed in certified Korean establishments will be eligible for export to the US," reads the Federal Register notice. "All such products will be subject to re-inspection at US ports of entry by FSIS inspectors."
The government of South Korea requested approval for the importation of Korean poultry products into the US in 2005. South Korea stated that its immediate intention was to export two types of ginseng chicken stew products. USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) then began to evaluate South Korea's inspection system to determine whether it is equivalent to the US system.
FSIS proposed equivalency after two audits and two corrective action plans and will become effective on May 27, 2014.
Under import regulations, the South Korean government must still certify to FSIS that those establishments that wish to export poultry products to the US are operating under requirements equivalent to those of the US.