South Korea Import Requirements Overview for Japan-Origin Products

Cosmetics: Functional vs General

Korea's cosmetics framework distinguishes a regulated category — Functional Cosmetics — from general cosmetics. The practical impact for Japan-origin OEM cosmetics:

• Functional Cosmetics (기능성화장품). Cover claims such as skin whitening, anti-wrinkle, UV protection, hair colouring, hair-loss prevention, and a growing list of additional categories. Require pre-market review by MFDS, including efficacy substantiation. Timelines are typically 4–6 months from dossier submission to approval, longer for new functional ingredients.
• General cosmetics. Subject to the Cosmetics Business Notification regime — the Korean importer (a registered Cosmetics Business Operator) notifies MFDS before sale. Substantive product specifications are reviewed post-market.
• Korean importer responsibility. A Korea-domiciled Cosmetics Business Operator must hold the relevant business notification. The Japanese OEM manufacturer cannot itself act as the Korean importer; the brand or its local distributor takes that role.
• Ingredient compliance. Korea maintains a negative list of prohibited ingredients and a positive list of restricted ingredients with usage limits. Confirm ingredients with the Japanese OEM at recipe stage; some ingredients common in Japan are restricted or prohibited in Korea.

Food: import declaration

Food importers must notify each shipment to MFDS through the Imported Food Information Marine System (IFIM). MFDS conducts risk-based document, sensory, sample, or laboratory inspection. First-time import of a new product is subject to laboratory inspection; repeat imports may be selected for sample inspection based on risk profile.

• Importer business registration. A Korean Food Importer must be registered with the local MFDS office.
• Korean labelling. Mandatory in Korean. Stickering acceptable but the sticker must not obscure critical original information.
• Mandatory particulars.Product name, ingredient list, allergen highlighting (the Korean allergen list differs in some details from EU and Japanese lists), net quantity, expiry date, storage, and the importer's name and address.

Health Functional Food (HFF)

The Health Functional Food framework is Korea's functional-supplement regime, separate from the food regime. Two routes:

• Notified functional ingredients. Ingredients on the MFDS-published HFF Code list can be used with claim-level pre-approval. Faster path for established ingredients.
• Individually approved functional ingredients.For new ingredients or new functional claims, full safety and efficacy dossier required. Timelines 12–24 months.
• Mandatory labelling and warnings. HFF products carry the HFF mark and specific MFDS-mandated warning text on permissible use.
• Channel. HFF is sold through approved channels with HFF Business Operator licensing. The Korean importer must hold the HFF importer licence — distinct from general food import.

Customs and origin

• KCS declaration. Filed by the Korean importer. Korea uses the HSK (HS Korea) 10-digit tariff classification.
• No bilateral Japan-Korea EPA. Most Japan-origin products are charged most-favoured-nation tariffs. RCEP provides preferential rates for some categories where origin can be demonstrated.
• VAT and consumption tax. 10% VAT applies. Special consumption tax applies to a small set of luxury categories — most cosmetics, food, and supplements are out of scope of consumption tax.

Practical sequencing for Japan-origin Korea launch

1. Classify the product: cosmetics (Functional vs General), food, or Health Functional Food.
2. Identify a Korean importer with the relevant business notification or licence in good standing.
3. For Functional Cosmetics or HFF: prepare the dossier and file with MFDS. Allow 4–24 months depending on category.
4. Design Korean-language labelling per MFDS rules. Pre-shipment label review with the Korean importer is good practice.
5. Check RCEP eligibility and arrange JCCI origin documentation where relevant.
6. On arrival, the Korean importer files the IFIM notification (food / HFF) and KCS customs declaration. After inspection clearance and Korean stickering, the product is released for sale.