1. BILATERAL/MULTILATERAL ISSUES

No direct subsidy for damaged farmers from FTA [Korean, WMJ]

http://www.korea.kr/policy/actuallyView.do?newsId=148764476&call_from=naver_news    

Summary: The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) explained back their suspicions conduction of subsidy implementation for damaged farmer from FTA that they have never given any subsidy for a farmer who has been damaged from FTA.   MAFRA said “currently we decided to give a subsidy as much as degree of declining by increased import, and Hanwoo cattle and calf are selected as the first subject for subsidy in 2013, so we are on the process to award subsidy, and we are planning to award until the end of October.”   The subsidy system compensates a part of price that decreased by implementation of FTAs to a farmer who produces pertinent items.

2. LIVESTOCK ISSUES

MFDS confirmed imported pork, ham and cheese are ‘safe’ from harmful substances [Korean, WMJ]

http://beauty.hankooki.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=11024

Summary: The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) disclosed that there is no detection of a harmful substance in 5 imported food items on a prior investigation.  Prior investigation is the system that investigates and analyzes food imports which are worried about its harm by the information of food harm that collected through an internal and external channel.

At the prior investigation during April – Jun period, the MFDS inspected Ractopamine in American pork, Listeria monocytogenes in European and Australian cheese and in European ham, Cadmiun in Japanese scallop, Chrom and Nikel in Chinese barbeque grill.   All 5 food items met the standard.

MFDS also announced that they will conduct the prior investigation into worrying food imports continuously forward so that blocks inflow of the harmful element which can affect nation’s health badly in advance.  Moreover, if the highly worrying food imports are detected even after the prior investigation, they will collect them and conduct the inspection in larger scope, they said.

3. MARKETING ISSUES

MFDS Investigation Founds Too Much Caffeine in Coffee Drinks [Korean, OSY]

http://news.donga.com/3/all/20130717/56491377/1

Summary: Ministry of Food & Drugs Safety (MFDS) announced that its recent investigation of coffee drinks sold in the market found much higher amount of caffeine than labeled in 15 products.  MFDS regulation requires high caffeine products to label the amount of caffeine together with a warning clause “Children, pregnant women, and people sensitive to caffeine should take caution not to consume too much this product” on the label.  MFDS added that it will strengthen the market monitoring to prevent over intake of caffeine products.

Sales of Lunch Box in Convenience Stores Show Strong Growth … Partly Due to the Demand for Affordable Meals under Depressed Economy [Korean, OSY]

http://news.donga.com/List/EconomyMarket/3/0108/20130716/56491051/1

Summary: According to leading convenience store chains in Korea, sales of lunch boxes in the stores in the first half this year have increased 54 to 63 percent compared to the same period of last year.  Marketers point out that economic concerns coupled with increased number of single member households are the main driving force behind the strong demand for takeout meals in convenience stores.