1. GRAIN & OILSEED ISSUES

MFDS Tests on U.S. Wheat Found No GMO [Korean, OSY]

http://www.hankyung.com/news/app/newsview.php?aid=2013070233651

Summary: Ministry of Food & Drugs Safety (MFDS) announced on July 2 that its tests found no GMO contamination in American wheat imported into Korea.  MFDS carried out two sets of tests, one  on 45 samples from wheat imported from the state of Oregon and the second on 160 samples from wheat from entire U.S. origins.

<7/2/2013> No detection of disapproved GMO in U.S. wheat in the domestic market (Korean, WMJ)

http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LPOD&mid=sec&sid1=&oid=001&aid=0006347704

Summary: Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) disclosed the test result that disapproved GMO wasn’t detected from American-wheat in Korea. The reason why the test is committed is that disapproved GMO wheat is discovered in Oregon last May.  The MFDS said “we are planning to check every shipment of U.S wheat and flours whether it contains unapproved GMO wheat or not. ”

<7/2/2013>The Price of minor cereal is sharply increased …. (Korean, WMJ)

http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LPOD&mid=sec&sid1=&oid=001&aid=0006347423

Summary: The price of mixed grain, especially bean, red beans and black rice, is highly increased under the influence of typhoon,’ Bollaben ‘that passed over Korea in last summer. According to the research, the price of bean, black rice, red beans, and rice are increased by 30.2%, 29.9%, 6.2%, and 15.2% each.

Simplify the stages of rice quality grade mark from 5 stages to 3stages. (Korean, WMJ)

http://www.ytn.co.kr/_ln/0102_201307030700336946

Summary: MAFRA notified that revision of Grain Management Act would be legislated. After it takes effect, the first grade will be changed into ‘extra good’, 2-3 grades are ‘good’ and 4-5 grades are ‘normal.’  Also, the goods that don’t meet the quality standard are classified as an off-grade.

2. MARKETING ISSUES

City of Seoul to Add 88 New Hotels … Limited Hotel Rooms to Serve 10 Million Foreign Tourists [Korean, OSY]

http://news.donga.com/3/all/20130703/56258906/1

Summary: According to the Seoul City Government, a total of 88 new hotels are under construction in the city which will add 13,487 new rooms to existing 27,112.  Seventy nine of the new hotel construction projects are scheduled to be completed by the end of next year.  The reason for the surge of new hotel projects is limited room to serve the surging demand.  According to the city’s research, total demand for hotel room this year from over 12 million travelers to the city would be 48,915 rooms.  However, the city would be able to supply 33,124 rooms only even with opening of some new hotels.  The gap between the demand and supply of hotel rooms is forecast to expand in the coming years.

3. OTHER MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES

“Premium Washington Cherries Have Just Arrived”, Promotion at Shinsegae Dept Store [Korean, OSY]

http://news.donga.com/3/all/20130702/56258569/1?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+donga+(donga)

Summary: Northwest Cherry Growers Association hosted a promotion event in Shinsegae Dept store Myungdong, Seoul on July 2 to announce launching of new season of Washington cherries.

<7/1/2013> CJ, SaJo and DeaSang  didn’t GMO label on their products(Korean, WMJ)

http://news.naver.com/main/read.nhn?mode=LPOD&mid=sec&sid1=&oid=001&aid=0006346677

Summary: According to the research by Coalition of Citizen’s Economic Justice(CCEJ), a local civic group, a few food company didn’t mark GMO label on their products even though they bought 4million tons of GMO. Under the existing regulations, only the products which included GMO within the 5^th raw material or remain extra protein DNA are required to mark the GMO. So, most of the processed products are excepted from the subject. That’s the reason why they could do that. CCEJ claimed “we have to introduce full GMO indication system for consumer’s right to know”