The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has begun to seek recognition from halal certification bodies to support food exports to Islamic countries. Shown are ramyeon (instant noodles) products at a convenience store in Seoul's Jongno-gu District. (Kim Seon Ah)

By Kim Seon Ah

The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has begun to seek recognition from halal certification bodies in Islamic countries to support food exports to them.

The ministry on Feb. 13 said its staff on Feb. 11 visited the Saudi Food and Drug Authority in Saudi Arabia along with personnel from the ministry affiliate Korea Agency of HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) Accreditation and Service (KAHAS) for working-level talks on recognition of agencies for such certification.

The process required of Korean companies to obtain separate halal accreditation to export food products to Islamic countries incurs difficulties like time and cost. The Middle East also lacks institutions capable of such certification.

To resolve this issue, the ministry is trying to get KAHAS designated a Saudi halal certification body. A working-level meeting with the Saudi side discussed requirements for accreditation as a certification body, audit procedures and required documentation, methods for on-site audits and post-certification management.

The ministry expects to slash the time and cost it takes for domestic exporters to gain such approval if KAHAS is designated a Saudi certification body. This could also help such recognition to expand to other Islamic countries such as the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia and Indonesia.

sofiakim218@korea.kr