Certification questions come up in almost every sourcing project. Here is what the common ones mean when buying from Korea. Requirements change and differ by country, so always confirm with your importer or regulator.
Korean HACCP
Korea operates a mandatory and voluntary HACCP system under the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS), with certification handled by the Korea Agency of HACCP Accreditation and Services. Many product categories, including kimchi, require HACCP at factories above certain sizes. It is a strong baseline signal of food-safety management.
ISO 22000 / FSSC 22000
International food-safety management standards. Large retailers in Europe and elsewhere often ask for a GFSI-recognized scheme such as FSSC 22000. Fewer Korean factories hold these than HACCP, so ask early if your customer needs one.
US FDA food facility registration
Foreign facilities that manufacture, process, pack or hold food for consumption in the United States must be registered with the FDA and renew the registration every two years. US imports also require prior notice of each shipment, and US importers have responsibilities under the Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP). Registration is not an approval or certification of the product.
Halal
In Korea, halal certification is most commonly issued by the Korea Muslim Federation (KMF). Some destination markets only accept certificates from bodies they recognize, so check which certifier your market accepts.
Organic, vegan and others
Organic claims need certification recognized in the destination market — a Korean organic certificate does not automatically allow an organic claim abroad. Vegan labels are usually based on third-party vegan certification or on the brand owner’s own verification.