1. BIOTECHNOLOGY ISSUES

<7/27/2013> GMO Labeling regulation has to get changed (Korean, WMJ)

http://www.nocutnews.co.kr/Show.asp?IDX=2568636

Summary:  Even though GMO products are served at table almost every day, but most of consumer don’t know the food what they eat is GMO. Under the recent regulation, in Korea, only the case that transgenic DNA or foreign protein is detected by inspection of processed products is required to label GMO on them.  And even if transgenic DNA is detected, if that material is of little importance, then labeling isn’t required.  For that reason, the products that removed transgenic DNA in the process such as soy sauce, cooking oil are launched without any GMO information.  So the voice which insists that the regulation have to be revised for consumer’s right and health is getting strong.      

2. LIVESTOCK ISSUES

Hanwoo farms are in hard situation (Korean, WMJ)

http://joongang.joins.com/article/aid/2013/07/29/11791552.html?cloc=olink|article|default

Summary: Hanwoo farms are suffering from increasing of feed price and falling of beef price.  According to National Statistics Office (NSO), recently the number of breeding Hanwoo has exceeded proper value, and so, the price also has gone down.  On the other hand, the price of feed has gotten higher.  Feed is most part of breeding cattle, so it makes the cattle farms feel harder.  Not only that, as too much supply, the shipment of beef is delayed, so the burden to purchase feed puts farms in harder situation.  Because of that reasons, local Hanwoo farms are trying to reduce the cost.  For example, operate the own feed plant, launch branded Hanwoo with large mart and so on.

MAFRA presents the way to accelerate consumption and stabilize the Hanwoo market (Korean ,WMJ)

http://www.nocutnews.co.kr/Show.asp?IDX=2570281

Summary: Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) announced how to promote Hanwoo market.  The point is inducing large companies to replace imported beef with Hanwoo as ingredient of communal feeding.  According to the MAFRA, totally 46,000 tons of imported beef are consumed by company’s communal feeding last year.  It reaches almost 18.1% of total imports. Relating to it, the MAFRA decided to consider supporting fund to the company that consumes Hanwoo.    

Maeil dairy company decided to raise the milk price (Korean, WMJ)

http://www.hani.co.kr/arti/economy/economy_general/597612.html

Summary: Maeil, one of the dairy company notified they decided to raise the milk price as 10.6%, from current price at 2,350 won to 2,600 won and applies it from 8^th, August.  It is the first time to raise the price since price sliding system for the milk has been implemented.  So it is expected to bring on raising another product’s price also such as coffee, bread and so on.  

3. MARKETING ISSUES

Mom & Pop Bakeries Face New Competition from Medium-Scale Franchise Bakeries while Large-scale Franchise Bakeries are Restricted from Opening New Shops under ‘Co-Growth Initiative’ [Korean, OSY]

http://news.donga.com/3/all/20130730/56737485/1

Summary: It is reported that medium-scale franchise bakery chains are rapidly expanding in the market where large-scale franchise bakery chains are restricted from opening new shops under the ‘Co-growth initiative”.  For example, Easy Buy, a medium-scale franchise bakery chain, has added 20 new shops in the first half this year.  As a result, mom and pop bakeries which ‘Co-growth initiative’ intends to protect are facing new competition.

Fluid Milk Price to Increase 10.6 Percent Next Week … Should Generate Price Increase of Related Products Down the Road [Korean, OSY]

http://news.donga.com/3/all/20130730/56737513/1

Summary: Maeil Dairy announced that it would increase the price of fluid milk it supplies by 10.6 percent on August 8 (to 2,600 won per 1 liter pack).  Maeil Dairy explained that the price increase is due to the increase of raw milk price from the farm.  According to an agreement between the dairy farms and processors made earlier this year, law milk price paid by the processors to the farms is supposed to fluctuate without restriction to reflect change of farm production cost.  The law milk price is scheduled to increase 12.7 percent on August 1 to 940 won per 1 liter.

4. OTHER MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES

<7/25/2013>270 ugly food and distribution enterprise are caught in result of MFDS’s inspection (Korean, WMJ)

http://beauty.hankooki.com/news/articleView.html?idxno=11257

Summary: Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) disclosed that 270 food and distribution enterprise are caught as infraction of livestock products sanitary control act in result of inspection that conducted by mainly MFDS from 27^th May to 2^nd June.  Also they ask competent authorities to impose appropriate administrative disposition.  And they deducted improvement for resolve these things.  These are CCTV installation obligation for preventing illegal butchery, establishing pork traceability system, and so on.

<7/24/213>Egg price has jumped up on and on (Korean, WMJ)

http://view.asiae.co.kr/news/view.htm?idxno=2013072409465435913&nvr=Y

Summary:  According to Korea Poultry Association (KPA), egg price has increased on three times in this month, totally maximum 25 won. The reasons are that a number of chicks declined due to disposing of old layer chicken by egg farm and decreasing of egg laying for seasonal reason, officials of KPA said. Moreover, too much sale held by major supermarket and discontinuity of school feeding in vacation are also pushing egg price up.